In an important development in the Elgar Parishad case, the Supreme Court Friday granted bail to he women rights activist and academician Shoma Sen. The court granted bail weeks after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 16 admitted that it does not need Shoma Sen in custody anymore. Sen was arrested on June 6, 2018, for her alleged Maoist links. She has been in Byculla Women’s Jail since then (she was first held in Yerwada Jail of Pune before being transferred to Byculla).
Who is Shoma Sen and why was she arrested?
Sen was teaching English literature at Nagpur University when she was arrested. She has been a known voice for her activism on issues related to women's rights. She was arrested with Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut, Surendra Gadling, and Rona Wilson for her alleged involvement in Bhima Koregaon violence.
On December 31, 2017, retired justices B G Kolse Patil and P B Sawant organised a convention known as Elgar Parishad to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Historical Battle of Bhima Koregaon at Pune. However, tension erupted a couple of days earlier when Govind Gopal Mahar's memorial was found desecrated on December 29.
On January 1, 2018, a mob attacked a group of Dalits who were going to attend this event. Soon after clashes erupted between the two groups. Rahul Babaji Phatangade, a 30-year-old garage owner, died in this clash.
NIA previously alleged in the court that Sen and others had been linked with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and they conspired in the events that took place in January 2018.
A total of 16 activists, lawyers, and artists were arrested in the case; they are infamously known as BK-16.
