Bhima Koregaon Case : Supreme Court Adjourns Bail Applications Of Vernon Gonsalves & Arun Ferreira To Feb 21
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of the bail applications of Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, both of whom have been lodged in jail since August 2018 after their arrest over alleged Naxal links in Bhima Koregaon case. The accused are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. A division bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and...
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of the bail applications of Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, both of whom have been lodged in jail since August 2018 after their arrest over alleged Naxal links in Bhima Koregaon case. The accused are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
A division bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia stated in the order:
“Accommodation has been sought on behalf of the solicitor-general. List the matter as the first item on Tuesday, February 21.”
“The solicitor-general and additional solicitor-general are leading us. We have gone through the brief. It will take us some time. Therefore, I would request you to post the matter on a non-miscellaneous day,” the counsel appearing for the Union Government submitted as the matter was taken. Justice Bose then reminded the counsel that adjournment was sought on the last occasion as well.
“Tomorrow, we will list it as the first item after any fresh matter,” Justice Bose told Senior Advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Gonsalves. “But no more adjournment tomorrow,” the judge cautioned the counsel for the other side.
After initially pronouncing an order directing the matter to be listed on this Tuesday, the bench had a re-think. To the solicitor-general who had just entered the court hall, Justice Bose said, “Mr Solicitor, your junior indicated that you will take some time. We thought of posting it tomorrow. But there is some bench…”
“A constitution bench will be sitting from tomorrow for the next three days. If your lordships could consider hearing this bail application next Tuesday…”
“Next Tuesday will be far too long.”
“A week may not be too far away considering the seriousness", SG said.
Justice Bose told John, “Let it be on next Tuesday then, Ma’am?” “The petitioners have waited for so long. They can wait till Tuesday. There is no difficulty,” replied John. “First item on Tuesday,” Justice Bose assured.
This is the third time in a row that an adjournment has been sought on behalf of the union government. Last week, the bench had expressed the hope that “further adjournments would not be taken”. This is a matter of personal liberty, the court had emphasised. Similarly, during the hearing before that, on February 6, the top court noted that the petitioners had been languishing in judicial custody for nearly five years already.
Case Title
1. Vernon v. State of Maharashtra | Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 5432 of 2022
2. Arun v. State of Maharashtra | Diary No. 24825 of 2022