Bhima Koregaon Case: Professor Hany Babu Withdraws Bail Petition From Supreme Court

Professor MT Hany Babu, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, withdrew his bail petition from the Supreme Court on Friday, May 3, citing “a change of circumstance”. The matter was to be heard by a bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal. It was then, the Babu’s counsel Payoshi Roy informed the Court that the bail petition was being withdrawn.

The lawyer told the court that as the five co-accused in the case has received bail, there is change in the circumstance. They would like to move to the High Court fresh for the bail petition, she added.

The top court then allowed for the withdrawal of the bail petition by issuing following order:

“The counsel for the petitioner states that there is a change in the circumstance and she would not like to press the present petition and approach the High Court…In view of the above, the petition is dismissed as not pressed,” the Live Law quotes, as the Court is saying.

Hany Babu was arrested in July 2020 as the 12th person in the Koregaon Bhima – Elgar parishad case, in connection to speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave convened at Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31, 2017. Pune police reported that the said speeches has triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial. In the outburst, one person was killed and several others were injured.

The National Investigative Agency (NIA), who is undertaking the investigation has also accused Professor for being associated with banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). Hany Babu approached the Supreme Court after his bail petition was rejected by the Bombay High Court in September last year. Earlier, a Special NIA court had rejected his bail petition. Hany Babu is currently lodged at the Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai.

In February, Umar Khalid who withdrew his bail petition in connection with the Delhi riots case in the same bench of the Supreme Court, citing the same reason -change of circumstances.