Pune court sends Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves to 14 days judicial custody

On Tuesday, all three accused in Bhima Koregaon violence including activists Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves were sent to judicial custody for 14 days by Pune Sessions Court.

The news agency ANI reported that Arun Ferreira, one of the accused said in a court that he was beaten up during custodial interrogation. Ferreira said, “On 4th Nov during interrogation he was slapped about 8-10 times by police officials and that on 5th November he was taken to hospital as well.”

One of the accused Arun Ferreira alleged in Court that he was beaten up during custodial interrogation. He said on 4th Nov during interrogation he was slapped about 8-10 times by police officials and that on 5th November he was taken to hospital as well. #bhimakoregaon https://t.co/1wv8Lf9aU1

— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2018

Earlier, the Pune Sessions Court had rejected bail plea of advocate Shoma Sen, who has been accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Sen moved the bail application in the Pune Sessions Court on September 14.

In the month of June this year, the Pune Police had arrested lawyer Surendra Gadling, Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen, Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, activist Mahesh Raut and Kerala native Rona Wilson in June for their alleged links with Maoists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The five were accused of their alleged involvement in the violence that erupted earlier this year during the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle. Apart from this, five activists, namely poet Vara Vara Rao, lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj, activists Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, and Gautam Navlakha, had been put under house arrest since August 29 for their alleged involvement in the violence.

It is to be noted that one person was killed and many were injured in the clashes which took place on January 1, 2018.

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