Bhima Koregaon Raids LIVE Updates: Late Night Drama in Faridabad as Cops Drag Sudha Bharadwaj to Court Despite HC Order

I understand from Sudha Bharadwaj's lawyer Vrinda Grover, that despite the order of the Punjab& Haryana High Court staying Sudha bhardwaj's transit remand, the Mah police is still insisting on it in the Magistrate's court in Faridabad&even her lawyers are not being allowed there!

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) August 28, 2018

As Sudha Bharadwaj is produced before the CJM in Faridabad, her lawyer Vrinda Grover says they are not being allowed to enter the CJM's residence.

The Punjab and High Court while staying the transit remand added, “Till then, the detenue, Sudha Bhardwaj, shall be kept at the place that is her home at Badarpur in Haryana, from where she was arrested under the supervision of Police Station Surajkund.”

The Punjab and High Court while staying the transit remand said, “It is directed that in case the detenue is produced before the Ilaqa Magistrate/Duty Magistrate/Chief Judicial Magistrate, Faridabad, the orders granting transit remand will be passed after going through the contents of the FIR and recording a finding that the provision of Sections 41 and 50 of the Criminal Procedure Code have been compiled with.”

WHO IS SUDHA BHARADWAJ? She is best known for her work in Chhattisgarh, where she has lived for 29 years and fought for the rights of mine workers in Bhilai as a member of late Shankar Guha Niyogi's Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha. She began working with the Mukti Morcha in 1986, after witnessing the abysmal working conditions of labourers in West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh during her stint as a student in IIT Kanpur. A civil rights activist and lawyer, Bharadwaj has also been fighting against land acquisition and is currently the general secretary of the Chhattisgarh People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).

Now, it is being reported that Sudha Bharadwaj has been produced again before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Faridabad. Her lawyers are not being allowed entry, says Vrinda Grover.

Lawyer Vrinda Grover has written to the Faridabad police, saying the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a stay order on her transit remand to Pune and that she has been kept under house arrest. She has said that according to information she has gathered, Sudha is not being taken to her Badarpur residence, which would be a brazen breach of court order. 

Image: Sudha Bharadwaj during her arrest on Tuesday. (PTI photo)

SUDHA'S LAWYER SAYS HER WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN | Trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj, who was earlier today arrested by the Pune police from her Faridabad residence, is allegedly being taken to an unknown destination by the police personnel, going against the stay orders by the Punjab and Haryana Court. Sudha’s lawyer Vrinda Grover has confirmed the development to CNN-News19’s Vinaya Deshpande.

Earlier, Congress spokesperson Jaipal Reddy condemned the raids and arrests saying no human rights activists should be arrested without a case. "I condemn those arrests in unqualified terms. No human rights activist should be arrested. For that matter, no Indian can be arrested without proper case. I defend the rights of everybody, more particularly human rights protesters. They are selfless NGOs, activists, who are obliged to fight the enveloping darkness of dictatorial tendencies," he told reporters when asked about the arrests of some activists by the Pune police.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy tells CNN-News18: “These people are acting at the behest of foreign powers,” in reference to those raided by Pune Police on Tuesday.

Simultaneous raids targeted the residences of prominent Telugu poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira in Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha in New Delhi.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi takes a dig at RSS, saying only RSS can function in this country while all other NGOs will be shut.

There is only place for one NGO in India and it's called the RSS. Shut down all other NGOs. Jail all activists and shoot those that complain.

Welcome to the new India. #BhimaKoregaon

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 28, 2018

Does anyone still have any doubt about the real face of the Modi govt? #BhimaKoregaon #Arrests pic.twitter.com/i9FQoZjDSH

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) August 28, 2018

Sources in the Goa police said a team from the Maharashtra police searched Teltumbde's residence in Sankhalim village, 40km from Panaji, today, but left soon as he was not at home, reported PTI.

Human rights activist Anand Teltumbde, whose house was today searched by the Maharashtra police as part of multi-city raids, said he was not even remotely connected to the allegations levelled against him.

Former JNU student and activist Umar Khalid on Tuesday's raids:

The police were law bound to arrest Shambhaji Bhide& Milind Ekbote booked for non-bailable offences under SC/ST POA for attacks on dalits at #BhimaKoregaon. Bhide never arrested, Ekbote bailed out. To save them, the govt along with Godi media is now hounding human right activists

— Umar Khalid (@UmarKhalidJNU) August 28, 2018

Trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj, who was arrested by Pune Police earlier today, will be put under house arrest after a transit remand order to take her to Pune was stayed by the Punjab and Haryana Court.

The Human Rights Forum has issued a statement saying, "The Human Rights Forum (HRF) unequivocally condemns the arrests of social activists and leftist intellectuals including Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao and several others by the Pune police today. The arrests are part of a clear design to lock down on democratic dissent, undermine free speech and create a climate of fear. This is quite alarming."

Police claimed that speeches made by these prominent activists made at the Elgaar Parishad conclave, a day ahead of the bicentennial celebration of the battle of Bhima Koregaon, were one of the triggers for the violence that was gripped Pune the next day.

Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker, who is quite vocal on Twitter about social issues in India, said:

It is a crime to be poor in #NewIndia. It is a crime to help the poor in #NewIndia #BhimaKoregaon #BhimaKoregaonRaids

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) August 28, 2018

Police have said that the speeches made by these prominent activists made at the Elgaar Parishad conclave, a day ahead of the bicentennial celebration of the battle of Bhima Koregaon, were one of the triggers for the violence that was gripped Pune the next day.

Arun Ferreira, a human rights activist and lawyer, after he was arrested by the Pune police in connection with Bhima Koregaon violence case, in Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI photo)

Noted Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising tweets:

One day there will be no one left to defend the rule of law,one day there will be no rule of law left to defend https://t.co/eAKhe1iQE7

— indira jaising (@IJaising) August 28, 2018

CPIM leader Sitaram Yechury: It is an indication that the Modi govt wants to silence people and that no dissent will be tolerated and anyone raising their voice against this govt will be silenced.

A team of 10 people came today morning, they didn't have a search warrant but were carrying another document. They checked our mobile phones & laptops and took all passwords: Maaysha, daughter of Sudha Bharadwaj, who was arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence, told ANI.

Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid said the raids are an attempt to send a message to those who are raising their voices. "Ahead of 2019 elections, a sense of fictitious enemy is being conjured," he said.

JNU student leader Shehla Rashid alleged the raids were an attempt to "instil fear among those are vocal about issues". "It is also to manufacture a narrative and a sense of false enemy to misguided people ahead of the 2019 elections I highly condemn these," she said.

Rights activist Shabnam Hashmi said on Twitter: "Strongly condemn raids on human right defenders' homes since Morning in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Telangana, Delhi, Goa. Stop harassing HRDs! Condemn Modi's authoritarian regime.”

Ministry of Home Affairs sources said the entire operation was conducted by Pune police and the central agencies were not aware of any of these developments. Delhi police only provided logistical help.

Senior advocate and rights activist Prashant Bhushan on the raids:

Getting news that Pune police have raided/arrested among the finest Human rights activists&dissenting voices, such as Sudha Bharadwaj (a human rights lawyer), Gautam Navlakha (Former Pres of PUDR), Fr Stan Swamy (a human rights activist) & Ors. Fascist fangs are now openly bared

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) August 28, 2018