New Delhi, November 17
The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on Friday a fresh plea by activist Gautam Navlakha, who has not been shifted to house arrest despite the apex court’s direction in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud took note of the submissions by senior lawyer Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for Navlakha, that the apex court’s November 10 direction to shift him from Navi Mumbai’s Taloja prison to house arrest owing to his deteriorating health had not been compiled with.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the NIA, said the accused, instead of giving the address of his house, has given the address of the library-cum-office of the Communist Party; moreover, a separate plea would also be filed during the day.
“The Communist Party, in any case, is not a banned organisation,” Ramakrishnan said.
The SG said the probe agency was also in the process of filing an application and both the pleas could be listed together.
The CJI suggested that the plea by Navlakha be listed on Friday and the probe agency could mention its application before the bench.
The law officer, referring to some facts of the case, said both the applications needed to be heard together on Friday. The submissions were allowed.
