A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday denied interim bail to activist Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, that he sought to visit his ailing father.
Citing medical reports, the court held that his father's health condition was not serious and the accused just 'took a chance' to persuade it on emotional ground.
The court said all the symptoms of illness mentioned by the accused are 'quite common for almost every senior citizen' and even among many young men.
None of the medical certificates revealed that the physical condition of his 'father is serious', which requires immediate visit.
Gaichor had sought temporary bail for the period of two weeks to be with his father, citing his age and medical condition. Special judge Chakor Baviskar, designated to hear cases pertaining to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), criticised the accused for casually filing such an application.
"It is true that, this court, presided over by myself, granted such interim/temporary bail to other accused on humanitarian or educational or other grounds. However, this court has recorded reasoned findings for doing so," the special judge noted.
"Perhaps, this somewhat liberal approach and earlier orders of this Court prompted this applicant accused to move this application, without much serious cause," he added.
The court noted that the accused himself informed that his father was discharged from the hospital on June 27 itself.
Citing his discharge card issued by the hospital, the court noted that nothing serious was observed by the medical officer concerned regarding the health of Ramesh's father.
The court pulled up the accused, saying the application has been moved 'just for the sake of filing and just to take a chance to persuade this court on emotional ground and nothing else'.
The court then rejected his plea 'in the absence of genuine, bona fide, immediate, urgent and serious reason'.
Gaichor was arrested in September 2020 for his alleged role in the case and is currently in judicial custody.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which police claim triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.
The case saw the arrest of a total of 16 activists. -- PTI
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