Advocate-activist, Sudha Bharadwaj walks out from jail after 3 years

On Wednesday, December 8, a special NIA court ordered that lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj, who had been granted default bail by the Bombay High Court in the Elgar Parishad case, may be released from prison if she provided a surety of Rs 50,000. Bharadwaj has been ordered not to make any statements to the media as part of his bail conditions. She was also warned not to make any overseas calls or contact any of her co-accused.

Bharadwaj was given permission to provide the monetary surety, which would allow her to leave the jail on Wednesday or Thursday. She is currently imprisoned in Mumbai's Byculla prison. The special court further stipulated that she must stay within the court's jurisdiction and that she cannot leave Mumbai without the approval of the court.

The Bombay High Court granted Bharadwaj's request for default bail on December 1. It had, however, instructed that her bail conditions and release date be decided by a special NIA court. As a result, on Wednesday, December 8, the activist was brought before special judge DE Kothalikar.

In August 2018, Bharadwaj was arrested in the Elgar Parishad case under the strict sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The National Investigation Agency's appeal against the HC's order was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, December 7.

Among the 16 activists and academics arrested in the case, Bharadwaj is the first to be granted default bail.

The case stems from allegedly provocative comments made at the Elgar Parishad conference in Shaniwarwada, Pune, on December 31, 2017, which allegedly sparked unrest the next day near the Bhima Koregaon war memorial on the city's outskirts, according to the police. The conclave was allegedly backed by Maoists, according to the Pune police. The investigation into the matter was ultimately handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).