Earlier, on 22 February, the Bombay High Court granted bail to 81-year-old Varavara Rao, one of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, on medical grounds.
The octogenarian poet and ideologue has been granted bail for six months on medical grounds “in view of advanced age and inadequate facilities at Taloja Jail”.
He has been incarcerated for over two years since his arrest, apart from stints at the JJ Hospital and Nanavati Hospital because of various health problems, including dementia and COVID-19.
The order stipulates several conditions for Rao’s bail, including:
- He has to remain in Mumbai and not leave the jurisdiction of the special NIA court;
- He will make himself available to the NIA court whenever summoned;
- He will not tamper with any evidence or attempt to influence any witnesses.
- He will deposit his passport with the court;
- He will not speak to the media about his case.
Rao was represented by senior advocates, Indira Jaising and Anand Grover. They had argued that he should be…