New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a plea filed by former Delhi University professor Hany Babu, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, seeking a clarification that he could approach the High Court for bail after withdrawing his earlier plea in the top court.

A vacation bench comprising justices KV Viswanathan and NK Singh directed that the matter be listed after the court reopens following the summer break, and declined to entertain the application during the limited working days of the vacation.

During the mentioning, the counsel for Babu argued that several co-accused in the case had been granted bail by the Supreme Court either on merits or due to prolonged incarceration.

The application was filed seeking a clarification following a May 2 observation by the Bombay High Court, which stated that Babu should seek clarity from the Supreme Court about his liberty to approach the High Court for bail after withdrawing his special leave petition.

Justice Viswanathan questioned the delay in filing the application. “The order was passed on May 2. The court was fully functional till May 23. Why was the application not moved earlier?” he asked.

In response, the counsel submitted that obtaining certified copies of the court’s orders took time. However, Justice Viswanathan remarked, “Even in urgent matters, we have filed and got cases listed without certified copies.”

Babu was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in July 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged Maoist links in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence. His bail plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court in September 2022.

In May 2024, he withdrew his bail petition from the Supreme Court stating a change in circumstances, intending to move the High Court afresh.

However, the High Court noted that the Supreme Court’s order did not explicitly grant him liberty to re-approach the lower court, prompting the present application for clarification.

The Supreme Court’s refusal to list the matter urgently means the issue will now be heard only after the court’s summer recess concludes.

UNI SNG PRS