5 arrested in Bhima Koregaon violence raids

New Delhi [India], Aug 28 (ANI): Raids were conducted across the country in connection to the Bhima Koregaon violence. The raids were carried out in Mumbai, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Faridabad, Delhi and Thane.
As per sources privy to the latest developments in the case, Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Gautam Navlakha, Varnan Gonsalves and Sudha Bhardwaj were arrested following the raids that were conducted by the Pune Police. The police have booked all these accused under sections 153 A, 505(1) B,117,120 B,13,16,18,20,38,39,40 IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Of the four, activist Varavara Rao and Sudha Bhardwaj were detained in Hyderabad and Faridabad respectively and Gautam Navlakha was arrested from Delhi. A search was also conducted at activist Stan Swamy's residence in Ranchi. However, he was not arrested.
Later in the day, Delhi High Court stayed the transit remand of Gautam Navlakha to Pune. He will be put under house arrest until the case is heard tomorrow. The decision came following a plea filed in the Delhi court seeking a stay on the transfer of Navlakha to Pune.
Daughter of Sudha Bhardwaj told ANI, "A team of 10 people came today morning and they didn't have a search warrant but were carrying another document. They checked our mobile phones and laptops and took all the passwords". Bhardwaj is a visiting professor in the National Law University and also stated to be part of the People's Union for Civil Liberties.
A petition was also filed in Chandigarh High Court for stay on Sudha Bhardwaj's transit remand. Her advocate told ANI, "I have received information that interim order has been given by Chandigarh High Court in a petition filed on the case. She will not be arrested but will be under the supervision of police for three days and after that there would be another hearing."
In the wake of the raids and subsequent arrests, CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat said the raids were an attack on democratic rights. "This is a brazen attack on democratic rights. We are demanding that all the cases against these people be withdrawn and they are released forthwith," he noted.
The Bhima Koregaon violence erupted while observing the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in January. A youth died and several others, including 10 policemen, were injured in the violence. (ANI)