The Supreme Court today adjourned lawyer-activist Surendra Gadling’s bail plea in the 2016 Gadchiroli arson case by a month, while granting time for document inspection.
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi heard the matter and said that it would ascertain from the Bombay High Court Chief Justice whether any judge is posted in the concerned NIA court.
For context, on the last date, Senior Advocate Anand Grover (for Gadling) had argued that the principal evidence in the case is electronic and overlaps with the Bhima Koregaon case, yet the State has not furnished Gadling copies of the electronic material. He added that the case has been proceeding without a permanent Public Prosecutor.
On behalf of the respondent, ASG SV Raju told the Court that an application seeking transfer of records of the Bhima Koregaon case was pending before the trial court and that Gadling had not replied to it. Grover assured the Court that the reply would be filed promptly.
Keeping in view Gadling’s complaint regarding malfunctioning of VC facilities whenever he was produced before the trial court, the top Court ordered Maharashtra authorities to ensure the facility was properly available.
Today, Grover informed the Court that despite Court’s order on the last date, VC facilities did not work on 5 hearing dates and the State’s application has been forwarded to the NIA Court in Mumbai, which has not heard the matter. He emphasized that Gadling has been in jail since 7 years without a trial. “No case against me on merits. This is a very serious case. My liberty is deprived. 7 years! What is this country coming to?”, he remarked.
India: 7 Years Custody Without Trial: Lawyer Surendra Gadling in Supreme Court Bail Plea
