Supreme Court grants regular bail to Varavara Rao, ‘purely on medical grounds’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed P Varavara Rao to remain out of jail in the Bhima Koregaon case by making permanent the six-month bail granted to him by Bombay high court on February 22, 2021.

During this period, Rao will not leave the territorial jurisdiction of the trial court where the case is pending and will not misuse his liberty. The court has restrained him further from getting in touch with witnesses or trying to influence the investigation of case.

The Court clarified that the bail was provided purely on medical grounds and considering his advanced age of over 82 years. The Court directed him to provide intimation of his medical treatment to NIA.

“The Petitioner is currently 82 years old initially taken into custody on 20.08.2018 and was kept In house arrest. Since 2018, police had opportunity of custodial interrogation. We are not strictly concerned with that facet of the matter. Instant case is on grant of bail on medical conditions,” the order said.