An NIA court in Mumbai rejected Elgar Parishad case accused Hany Babu's request to visit Kerala, citing previous denials and accessible medical care in Mumbai, highlighting the importance of adhering to bail conditions.
Key Points
- NIA court in Mumbai rejects Hany Babu's plea to visit Kerala, deeming it 'mischievous' due to prior denials.
- Hany Babu, accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, was granted bail with conditions including residing in Mumbai and seeking permission to leave the city.
- The court cited readily available medical facilities in Mumbai as a reason to deny Babu's request for medical follow-up in Kerala.
- The judge criticised Babu for disregarding High Court bail conditions and wasting the court's time with repeated similar pleas.
A special NIA court in Mumbai denied permission to Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case accused Hany Babu to visit Kerala for two months to celebrate Eid with his elderly mother and observed the plea was "mischievous".
In his ruling on Wednesday, Special NIA Judge Chakor Baviskar pulled up Babu for filing a similar plea despite being denied permission a month ago due to conditions imposed by the Bombay High Court when he was given bail.
Babu was granted bail in December 2025 by the Bombay High Court on grounds of prolonged incarceration of over five years without trial. Conditions imposed on him by the HC included that he reside within Greater Mumbai and not leave the city without prior permission of the NIA court.
"The accused appears to have taken the order of the HC too lightly and casually," the NIA judge said while asserting that the grounds of celebrating Eid and surgery follow-ups were "not of much significance now" as in the previous month itself he was allowed to visit Kerala for gall bladder surgery and also stay with his mother.
If Babu wants to reside with his mother for some more time, he should think seriously to get her shifted to Mumbai, the NIA court said.
"Another ground of medical follow-up is equally insufficient and unsatisfactory. All the post-operation reports are absolutely normal. The accused is reported to be in quite good state of health," the court said.
Nevertheless, if he wants to undergo some medical check-up, he can very well do so at Mumbai itself and for that trivial reason need not incur huge travel expenses to go to Kerala, Judge Baviskar stated.
World class medical facilities are available in Mumbai in private, charity, municipal and government hospitals, the NIA court order added.
The judge emphasised that despite the reasoned order in February, Babu has moved a similar plea again, which "if allowed, would amount to flouting the order of the High Court".
"This is certainly wasting the time of this court. This court has made it clear that this court cannot go-by the terms and conditions imposed by HC in respect of attendance (before the NIA office). This is the reason I ascribed the prayer to be mischievous," the judge emphasised.
Background of the Elgar Parishad Case
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near Koregaon Bhima war memorial on the outskirts Maharashtra's second largest city.
The Pune police had claimed the conclave was organised by persons with Maoist links, following which an FIR was lodged on January 8, 2018 under Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the probe in the case.
