82-year old poet, Varvara Rao walked out from Nanavati Hospital on Saturday late night.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer, Indira Jaising, tweeted about his discharge from the hospital and wrote “free at last” along with his picture.
Free at last ! Varavara Rao out of Nanavati hospital 11.45 pm, 6th March 2021 pic.twitter.com/e3s0jZNqeM
— Indira Jaising (@IJaising) March 6, 2021
Rao was in judicial custody since 28 August 2018 for allegedly being involved in Bhima Koregaon case under UAPA charges for which no trial has taken place so far. He was out on octogenarian bail for a period of six months and since then was admitted in hospital.
In 2018, 16 activists and intellectuals were arrested and constantly being denied bail in cases for allegedly inciting Bhima Koregaon Violence and carrying out anti national activities. They include, Anand Teltumbe, Shoma Sen, Hany Babu, Stan Swamy, Gautam Navlakha, Varvara Rao and Varun Gonsalves.
The case is being handled by National Investigation agency (NIA) and was initiated to prove allegations of making provocative speeches at Elgar Parishad Conclave in Pune on 31 December 2017.
On February 22, Bombay High Court granted bail to Rao.
“We feel that the condition of the under trial, it would be in appropriate to send him back to jail. It would be not to appropriate to impose such conditions.” the court stated.
Rao furnished a bail bond of Rs. 50,000 before leaving jail on a condition that he can’t move out of jurisdiction of NIA court.