The Supreme Court has granted bail to Shoma Sen, who is one of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Sen, a former professor at Nagpur University, was arrested on June 6, 2018, approximately five months after the violent incidents occurred in the Maharashtra village.

Sen faces charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967, over alleged Maoist connections related to the case. Since her arrest, she has remained in custody, awaiting trial.

On March 15, the National Investigation Agency informed the apex court that it did not require her further custody.

Following a hearing, a bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Augustine George Masih granted bail to Sen. The decision took into account factors such as the delay in framing charges against her, her advanced age, and multiple ailments.

However, the bench imposed certain conditions, warning that the bail would be revoked if any conditions were violated. These conditions include submitting her passport, syncing her phone with that of the NIA's investigating officer for constant monitoring of her location, and obtaining permission from the special court overseeing the trial before leaving Maharashtra.

The Supreme Court bench clarified that the observations regarding the nature of allegations against the accused are prima facie and will not impact the trial.

In the Bhima Koregaon violence case, there are a total of 16 accused. Alongside Sen, individuals granted bail include Sudha Bharadwaj, Anand Teltumbde, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Varavara Rao, and Gautam Navlakha.

Image source: The Hindu