The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Delhi University professor Hany Babu, one of those accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, to withdraw his bail petition, Bar and Bench reported.
A bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal was set to hear the matter during the day. However, Babu’s counsel told the court that the petition was being withdrawn and that they would approach the Bombay High Court afresh for bail.
The counsel submitted that there had been a change in circumstances as others accused in the case had received bail, The Hindu reported.
Last month, former Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen was released from jail, days after she was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Bhima Koregaon case. Activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira also got bail in July.
Sixteen academicians, activists and lawyers were charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for their alleged role in instigating caste violence at Bhima Koregaon near Pune in January 2018. One of them, tribal rights activist Stan Swamy, died in custody at a Mumbai hospital on July 5, 2021.
Babu was arrested in July 2020, and has been lodged at the Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai since then. The National Investigation Agency has accused him of being a member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and being involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In September 2022, the Bombay High Court had rejected his bail petition. Subsequently, Babu had moved the the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s order. In January, the Supreme Court had sought a response from the National Investigation Agency on the bail petition filed by the Delhi University professor.
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