The Bombay High Court on Thursday extended till December 2 the time granted to poet Varavara Rao to surrender before the Taloja Central Jail authorities in Maharashtra.
Mr. Rao, 82, was arrested on August 28, 2018 in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case and was lodged in Taloja Central Jail. He was granted interim bail for six months on medical grounds by the High Court on February 22 this year. He was scheduled to surrender and return to judicial custody on September 5.
A Division Bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and S.V. Kotwal was on Thursday hearing a plea filed by Mr. Rao through senior advocate Anand Grover seeking an extension of his medical bail. Mr. Rao is currently living in Mulund with his wife.
Mr. Grover informed the court that Mr. Rao was admitted to a hospital on November 6 and discharged on November 16 after a medical procedure. The Bench directed him to file a fresh plea with substantial modifications for seeking extension of his medical bail.
On August 27 this year, he had filed a petition urging the court to extend his medical bail due to his frail health. The plea said, “He has been reporting every fortnight to Kurar (East Malad) police station through Whatsapp video call and. He has abided by all conditions levied by the court and not violated any directions from the court.”
The plea added that Mr. Rao takes 13 medicines daily for neurological problems, cholesterol, blood pressure, prostate, acidity, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, cardiac issues and pain relief. He has been suffering from constant headaches, known as cluster headaches, and needs further examinations and constant supervision. A neurologist at Jaslok Hospital said he has asymptomatic Parkinson’s as well as retention problems, movement disorders with tremors and gait instability.