SC seeks reply of Maha govt on bail plea of Surendra Gadling in 2016 Surjagarh mine arson case

Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the response of the Maharashtra government on a bail plea of advocate Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case.

Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi, sitting as a two-judge panel, gave notice to the state administration and asked for a response to the plea within four weeks. Gadling had been denied bail by the Nagpur division of the Bombay High Court on January 31, despite the fact that the charges against him were first believed to be factual.

On December 25, 2016, Maoist rebels had allegedly set ablaze 76 vehicles that were being used for transporting iron ore from Surajgarh mines in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli. Gadling is accused of providing aid to Maoists, who were working at the ground level. He was also alleged to have entered into a conspiracy with various co-accused and some of those absconding in the case.

He was booked under various provisions of anti-terror law the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, and the Indian Penal Code. The prosecution had claimed that Gadling provided secret information about government activities and maps of certain areas to underground Maoist rebels. Gadling is also accused of having asked the Maoists to oppose the operation of Surjagarh mines, and instigated many locals to join the movement.

In the Elgar Parishad-Maoist linkages case, he is also charged with making allegedly provocative comments at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claim led to unrest the next day in the area of the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in the Pune district.