Elgar Parishad case: Court asks for medical report of jailed 81-year-old activist

A special court in Mumbai on Saturday directed state-run JJ Hospital to submit a medical report of activist Varavara Rao, arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad case.

The 81-year-old activist was admitted to the hospital from Taloja jail on Thursday evening after he complained of giddiness.

Rao's plea for seeking interim bail on health grounds is pending before the court, and is scheduled to be heard on June 2.

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His lawyers on Saturday urged the court, hearing his interim bail plea, to direct JJ hospital to submit Rao's medical report.

The fact that the accused has been shifted to hospital shows that the matter is serious, their application said.

Therefore, it would be necessary to see the medical report and present condition of the accused while hearing his bail plea, it added.

Allowing the application, the court asked for a report from the hospital on Rao's medical condition.

Rao and ten other civil liberties activists were booked under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for alleged Maoist links and conspiring to overthrow the government.

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They were booked initially by Pune Police following violence that erupted in Koregaon Bhima there.

According to police, the activists made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements at the Elgar Parishad meet held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which triggered violence the next day.

The police also said they were active members of banned Maoist groups.

The case was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency.