Bhima Koregaon case: Court pulls up NIA for not giving electronic evidence copies to Gautam Navlakha

A special court on Tuesday pulled up the National Investigation Agency for failing to provide cloned copies of the electronic evidence it is relying on in the Bhima Koregaon case to human rights activist Gautam Navlakha, the Leaflet reported.

Special judge Rajesh Kataria noted that the agency has not complied with Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the last four years, despite several court orders.

The section states that the magistrate has to furnish the accused persons with copies of the statements and evidence that the prosecution is relying upon.

Navlakha has been accused of being involved in the Bhima Koregaon case, which pertains to caste violence in a village near Pune in 2018. He was among 16 people arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for allegedly plotting the violence.

On December 19, the Bombay High Court granted him bail but stayed the order to allow the National Investigation Agency to appeal against it before the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency court was hearing an application by Navlakha seeking that the agency be directed to provide him copies of the evidence on electronic devices seized from him by the investigating authorities.

The application said that despite repeated requests to the investigating agency under Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,...

Read more