Bhima Koregaon: NIA Court grants temporary bail to Rona Wilson to attend father's funeral rites

Rona Wilson, one of the 16 accused in the 2018 Bhima Koergaon violence case has been granted temporary bail by NIA Court to attend a function slated to be organised in connection with his father's death.

. Special Judge DE Kothalikar allowed the application and permitted Rona to be released on temporary bail from September 13 to 27, 2021.

He directed release upon execution of bail bond of ₹50,000 with one or two sureties.

. Rona was directed to report to the nearest jurisdictional police station on September 14 and 24 and surrender to Taloja prison by 6 pm on September 27, 2021.

He clarified that no prayer for extension will be granted.

. Wilson was arrested in July 2018 and is presently in judicial custody for offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

. Wilson submitted in his application that his father expired on August 18, 2021 in Kerala and was buried on August 19, 2021.

As per custom, a function has been organised for the 30th day ritual at a church in Kerala on September 16, 2021.

Advocate Neeraj appearing for Wilson prayed for bail on humane consideration so that he is at liberty to meet his family members and participate in the "mass" organised by his family.

. NIA opposed the application, submitting that the family prayer for the death of Wilson's father could be done by Wilson's brother and other family members too.

"The applicant/accused presence indeed does not necessitates neither it is proved by the applicant/accused that the gathering/ ceremony will not be or cannot be carried in his absence, as such no relief is called for," NIA replied.

. Special Public Prosecutor Prakash Shetty argued that the final rites were already over hence Wilson was merely creating a ground for release and may carry out illicit activity or tamper with prosecution evidence.

. In their short reply affidavit, NIA submitted that the accused were arrested for inciting people and giving provocative presentation and speeches during the Elgar Parishad event of 2017 organised by activist of Kabir Kala March at Pune.

The investigations conducted by the Pune Police and NIA revealed that Rona is an active member of the the banned organisation CPI (Maoist) and was involved in furthering its activities.

Bhima Koregaon: NIA Court grants temporary bail to Rona Wilson to attend father's funeral rites

Neha Joshi

Related Stories