Court disagrees with NIA on Teltumbde role in Elgar plot

Teltumbde surrendered on April 14, 2020, on SC orders and was taken into custody.

- Swati.Deshpande timesgroup.com

Mumbai: Dalit activist Anand Teltumbde, who was denied bail by the special trial court last July in the Elgar case, was granted bail by a bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and M N Jadhav for a surety of Rs 1 lakh. The judges noted that he has been in custody since April 14, 2020, and has no criminal antecedents.

Senior counsel Mihir Desai, for Teltumbde, said the activist had not met his brother Milind in 25 years and the NIA was making a “desperate attempt’’ to prove its allegation of terror act. The HC agreed, saying, “We do not think that provisions of sections 16 and 18 can be invoked at this stage against the appellant for want of better proof and evidence.’’