Two former Central information commissioners have urged the Maharashtra government to release revolutionary writer and poet P. Varavara Rao who has been in judicial custody for the last 18 months in the Bhima Koregaon case related to alleged attempt to murder Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They wanted acquittal of Mr. Varavara Rao or his release on bail immediately if the trial could not be completed speedily. The government should shift him to a hospital in Hyderabad or permit his family to travel across the State and meet him in the hospital if his release on bail was not possible. The government could facilitate video-conferencing with his wife and daughters besides disclosing the complete details of his medical condition and diagnostic reports.
In a detailed letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, former info commissioners Shailesh Gandhi and M. Sridharacharyulu wanted the government to share certified copies of entire file relating to investigation of the case available with the Mumbai police headquarters or with the Maharashtra Home Minister.
The file notes pertaining to handing over the case to the National Investigation Agency should also be shared within 48 hours as the information was concerned with the life and liberty of Mr. Varavara Rao. Steps should be taken to provide medical status report of Mr. Rao to the court on June 2, enabling him to secure bail.
They alleged that there was absolute lack of evidence against Mr. Varavara Rao. The Pune police and the state investigation teams had investigated the case for around 16 weeks and could not collect even an iota of evidence to prove the "wild charge" that this 80-year-old man from Hyderabad had conspired/attempted to murder the Prime Minister. The Maharashtra government on its part stated that there was no evidence against Mr. Varavara Rao and others in the case and also declared that they would close the file very soon.
"But, at that time, suddenly the National Investigation Authority NIA has taken over the investigation into its hands and stalled the release of Varavara Rao on bail. So far, no progress in investigation against Varavara Rao is reported by NIA also," they said. Citing the Constitutional provisions, they said the subject of law and order was in the State list which could not be taken away by the Centre without any such request from the State or the court.
Factually, Mr. Varavara Rao, at the advanced age of 80, had several issues. With his most honest history as a simple teacher, journalist and poet, he could not be expected to jump the bail and this should be the strong ground for granting him bail.
"Not the least, humanity demands his release," they said and recalled Mr. Varavara Rao was suffering from multiple ailments before he was taken into judicial custody. It was reported that Mr. Varavara Rao fell ill on May 29 and shifted to JJ hospital from Taloja jail in Maharashtra.
