Bhima Koregaon Case: Bombay HC rejects extension of Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves' house arrest

Bombay High Court on Friday refused to extend house arrest for activist Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves.

The defence had moved an application before Pune Session Court seeking an extension of house arrest for seven days for Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira since their house arrest is ending today.

Following Supreme Court's order, Pune Police can now arrest the activists, news agency ANI reported.

Bombay High Court on Friday also adjourned Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde's plea seeking rejection of FIR in Bhima Koregaon case till November 1. 

Interim protection will be provided to Navlakha till November 1. 

Earlier on Thursday, Hyderabad High Court had extended the house arrest for activist Varavara Rao for three weeks.

Five activists - Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha - have been under house arrest since August 28 for their alleged involvement in the violence which took place on January 1.

The police arrested five left-wing activists, after raiding their homes in several states for suspected Maoist links over the Elgar Parishad meeting.

The police raided the homes of the activists and lawyers from five states - Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Mumbai, Bharadwaj in Faridabad and Gautam Navalakha in Delhi. 

In a media briefing, the police had released details of seized letters related to five activists arrested in June in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence.

The police also claimed they have "conclusive proof" to link Left-wing activists arrested in June and this week to Maoists, saying one of them spoke of a "Rajiv Gandhi-type event to end Modi-raj".