Supreme Court Extends Gautam Navlakha's House Arrest Till January Second Week

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim protection granted to human rights activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon Case, allowing him to stay in house arrest till the second week of January.

The matter was listed for interim orders before a bench of Justices K M Joseph and BV Nagarathna today.

Counsel appearing for Navlakha apprised the court that the house arrest of Navlakha had remained "smooth".

It is to be noted that the Supreme Court, on November 10, had ordered to move Navlakha, 73,  from Taloja Central Prison to house arrest, considering his advanced age and multiple ailments. The order was to remain in force for a period of one month.

Later, the NIA moved an application seeking to recall the order contending that Navlakha had suppressed material facts. The NIA also took an objection that the place chosen by Navlakha is a hall in the first floor of a library building under the control of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). However, on November 18, the bench led by Justice KM Joseph dismissed the NIA's application and directed the agency to immediately comply with the direction for house arrest.

Navlakha, who is 73 years old, has been in prison since April 2020. He suffers from multiple ailments and had moved the Supreme Court after the Bombay High Court had rejected his plea seeking transfer to house arrest on account of his health condition.