Elgar Parishad case accused seeks contempt action against Navi Mumbai cop

Surendra Gadling and 14 other activists have been charged in connection with alleged provocative speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017.

In Short

• Accused sought action for not being produced in court
• Also moved plea seeking proceedings against prison authorities
• Accused officials of violating government resolutions and court directives

An accused in the 2018 Elgar Parishad Maoist links case has moved an application before a special NIA court, seeking action against the Navi Mumbai police commissioner and reserve police inspector at Kalamboli headquarters for not producing him in court physically for hearings.

He also moved a plea seeking to initiate contempt proceedings against prison authorities for not providing him with a cot in prison despite the special court's order.

The accused, advocate Surendra Gadling, moved a plea before special judge Chakor Bhaviskar seeking action against the officials responsible for providing police escorts for prisoners during court hearings. He accused officials of violating government resolutions and high court directives by failing to produce him for the hearings.

Gadling is arguing his own case as he does not have a lawyer to represent him.

Last week, Gadling and six other accused---Sagar Gorakhe, Sudhir Dhawale, Ramesh Gaichor, Hanny Babu, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut---lodged in Taloja Jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, went on hunger strike, claiming that the police were deliberately preventing them from being produced before the court.

The 58-year-old accused, citing his health issues like heart condition, sugar and blood pressure, among others, had sought the court's directions to the prison authorities to provide him with a cot.

The court, while passing its order, said if a cot is available in the prison cells, he may be accommodated there. It also permitted Gadling to purchase a mattress/cotton mattress from the jail canteen at his own expense and use the same.

In a separate plea submitted on Thursday, Gadling requested the court to direct prison authorities to permit him to take morning and evening walks. The case is scheduled for a hearing on November 11.

Gadling, along with 14 other activists, has been charged in connection with alleged provocative speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, which incited violence at the Koregaon Bhima village the following day.

According to Pune police, the conclave was allegedly backed by Maoists, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the investigation.