The Bombay High Court Monday rejected the bail application of activist Jyoti Jagtap, arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case.
The NIA argued that Milind Teltumbde, who died last year, discussed the Elgar Parishad event with three Kabir Kala Manch members, including Jagtap. NIA further contended that the acts “committed by the appellant [are] against the interest of the nation which for any reason cannot be overlooked.” While rejecting Jagtap’s appeal, the court said that the NIA’s case was prima facie true.
Jagtap is an alleged member of Kabir Kala Manch, a cultural group branded as a front organisation of the banned Communist Party of India (CPI). She was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in September 2020 for her alleged role in violence at Bhima Koregaon at Elgar Parishad, an event to commemorate the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Jagtap approached the Bombay HCt after an NIA special court rejected her bail application on February 14.
According to Amnesty International, “the Indian government routinely uses UAPA to intimidate and harass those who are critical of the authorities. It is a tool that effectively criminalizes peaceful dissent by ensuring human rights defenders and other critical voices face many years behind bars.”