Three more accused, including Navlakha, seek discharge in Elgar case

Mumbai: Activists Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bharadwaj and Delhi University professor Hany Babu, all accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, on Tuesday moved discharge applications before the special NIA court here.

The trio filed separate applications before special judge Rajesh J Katariya through their advocate Yug Chaudhry.

Chaudhry claimed the case against his clients was "completely bogus, made up of a stack of inadmissible evidence, consisting of innuendos, rumours and shadows".

There was no evidence worth the name, he maintained.

It is indeed sad that such eminent people have to stay in jail for so long only because of the draconian nature of the UAPA Act, the anti-terror law under which they have been booked, the lawyer added.

While Navlakha and Babu are currently in jail under judicial custody, Bharadwaj is out on bail.

Meanwhile, the court on Tuesday heard the arguments on the discharge plea of another accused, Sudhir Dhawale. The arguments will continue on Wednesday.

The judge said as per an order passed by the Supreme Court, the special court is required to frame charges against the accused and decide on the pending discharge applications within three months from order dated August 18.