Koregaon-Bhima case: SC refuses to quash FIR against activist Teltumbde
The Supreme Court today refused to quash Pune Police's FIR against civil rights activist Anand Teltumbde for his alleged role in the Elgar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima violence and for his alleged Maoist links. The apex court also refused to interfere with the ongoing investigation in the case. It however extended by four weeks the interim protection from arrest granted to him by Bombay HC.
The apex court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Ashok Bhushan and S K Kaul said Teltumbde can seek regular bail from the competent trial court in this time. On December 21, the Bombay High Court dismissed the petition filed by Teltumbde seeking the quashing of the FIR and granted interim protection from arrest for three weeks.
At the Elgar Parishad event organized by Dalit activists and intellectuals at Shaniwarwada in Pune, held a day before the January 1 caste clashes at Koregaon-Bhima, located near Pune, several activists allegedly made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements that contributed to the violence, police said.
