Bhima Koregaon case: HC criticises prison authorities for not releasing accused man despite bail

The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the police and prison authorities in Maharashtra for not releasing activist Ramesh Gaichor, who is accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, who was granted three-day temporary bail on August 26 to meet his ailing father, Live Law reported.

He was released from jail following the court’s observations, PTI quoted the authorities as having informed the bench on Thursday.

A division bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and Ranjitsinha Bhonsale was informed that despite a bail order last month, the superintendent of prisons of the Taloja Central Jail near Navi Mumbai had not released Gaichor, citing several public holidays in recent weeks.

The court said that it had noted in its August 26 order that the bail was being granted “only and only on humanitarian grounds”.

“So humanity is put to rest?” the bench asked the public prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh. “Why did you not release him? Is this all just to harass him? Why did you not comply with our orders? From where does the superintendent come and ask for a release warrant of magistrate?”

The public prosecutor said that while the state had complied with all orders of the High Court in the case, there was confusion on the part of the superintendent about Section 388 of the Criminal Procedure Code, Live Law reported.

The section stipulates...

Read more