Arrest of activists: SC says accused cannot choose which agency will examine case

New Delhi, Sep 28: The Supreme Court has said that the accused cannot choose which probe agency should examine the case. The observations were made while delivering the verdict on the legality of the raids and arrest of five persons allegedly sympathetic towards naxalites.

The five persons, Vara Vara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Feriera, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha had been arrested by the Pune police following on the ground that they were instrumental in inciting violence in the Bhima Koregaon case. It was also alleged that they were plotting the assassination of the Prime Minister apart from trying to spread violence across the country. The SC had however placed them under house arrest.

During the course of the hearing the Bench had once indicated that the accused persons could continue their efforts in the competent lower courts. The Bench even mooted transferring the pending cases to one court while continuing with their house arrests. However the counsel for the activists insisted that the Supreme Court should first hear them.

The Centre had brought to the notice of the court the problem of naxalism in the country. The problem affects the entire nation, the Centre had also said. This case is not about quelling dissent, but concerns a serious offence, the Centre further said.