New Delhi – The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday granted interim bail to cultural activist Jyoti Jagtap, who has been incarcerated for over five years in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. A bench of Justices M.M. Su[1][2][3]ndresh and Satish Chandra Sharma ordered her release until the next hearing in February 2026, taking into consideration the extensive period she has spent in custody.
Jagtap, a member of the Pune-based cultural tro[2]upe Kabir Kala Manch, was arrested on September 8, 2020, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). She is one of sixteen activists, academics, a[1][4]nd lawyers accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of instigating caste violence at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018.
The case pertains to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31,[1][4] 2017, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. The NIA has alleged that the event, where Jagtap and the Kabir Kala Manch p[4][5]erformed, was backed by the banned CPI (Maoist) and that inflammatory speeches delivered there led to violent clashes the next day.
During the hearing, senior advocate Aparna Bhat, representing Jagtap, argued that her client had been imprisoned for approximately [1][4][5]five and a half years without trial. This prolonged detention was a key factor in the bench's decision to grant interim relief.
Jagtap had pre[3][4]viously been denied bail by a special NIA court in February 2022, a decision that was upheld by the Bombay High Court [4]in October 2022. The High Court had observed that the NIA's case against her was "prima facie true" and that she was part of a "larger conspir[1][5]acy." The court also noted that her performance at the Elgar Parishad conclave included "aggressive, but highly provocative slogans[5]."
The NIA has consistently maintained that the Kabir Kala Manch is a front organization for the CPI (Maoist), a charge the group denies. Jagtap's release on interim bail marks a [2] A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma ordered her release until the next hearing in February 2026, taking into consideration the extensive period she has spent in custody.
Jagtap, a member of the Pune-based cultural troupe Kabir Kala Manch, was arrested on September 8, 2020, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). She is one of sixteen activists, academics, and lawyers accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of instigating caste violence at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018.
The case pertains to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. The NIA has alleged that the event, where Jagtap and the Kabir Kala Manch performed, was backed by the banned CPI (Maoist) and that inflammatory speeches delivered there led to violent clashes the next day.
During the hearing, senior advocate Aparna Bhat, representing Jagtap, argued that her client had been imprisoned for approximately five and a half years without trial. This prolonged detention was a key factor in the bench's decision to grant interim relief.
Jagtap had previously been denied bail by a special NIA court in February 2022, a decision that was upheld by the Bombay High Court in October 2022. The High Court had observed that the NIA's case against her was "prima facie true" and that she was part of a "larger conspiracy." The court also noted that her performance at the Elgar Parishad conclave included "aggressive, but highly provocative slogans."
The NIA has consistently maintained that the Kabir Kala Manch is a front organization for the CPI (Maoist), a charge the group denies. Jagtap's release on interim bail marks a [1][2] A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma ordered her release until the next hearing in February 2026, taking into consideration the extensive period she has spent in custody.[3][4]
Jagtap, a member of the Pune-based cultural troupe Kabir Kala Manch, was arrested on September 8, 2020, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).[2][5] She is one of sixteen activists, academics, and lawyers accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of instigating caste violence at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018.[3][6]
The case pertains to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon.[7] The NIA has alleged that the event, where Jagtap and the Kabir Kala Manch performed, was backed by the banned CPI (Maoist) and that inflammatory speeches delivered there led to violent clashes the next day.[6][8]
During the hearing, senior advocate Aparna Bhat, representing Jagtap, argued that her client had been imprisoned for approximately five and a half years without trial.[9] This prolonged detention was a key factor in the bench's decision to grant interim relief.
Jagtap had previously been denied bail by a special NIA court in February 2022, a decision that was upheld by the Bombay High Court in October 2022.[1] The High Court had observed that the NIA's case against her was "prima facie true" and that she was part of a "larger conspiracy."[1] The court also noted that her performance at the Elgar Parishad conclave included "aggressive, but highly provocative slogans."[1][8]
The NIA has consistently maintained that the Kabir Kala Manch is a front organization for the CPI (Maoist), a charge the group denies.[6][8] Jagtap's release on interim bail marks a significant development in the long-running case, which has drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations regarding the use of the UAPA and the lengthy pre-trial detention of the accused. Of the 16 individuals arrested, several have now been granted bail on various grounds.[2]
