Delhi HC pulls up NIA over Navlakha’s Mumbai transfer, says acted in haste

The Delhi High Court has expressed its unhappiness with the National Investigating Agency as it questioned the terror investigators' move of hurriedly transferring Bhima Koregaon case accused and social activist Gautam Navlakha from Delhi to Mumbai.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambani said, "Prima-facie it appears that….the NIA has acted in unseemly haste to instead remove the applicant out of the very jurisdiction of this court."

The observation came while the court was hearing Navlakha's plea seeking interim bail citing his old age and medical ailments.

While posting the matter for hearing on June 3, the court has asked the NIA to file a complete copy of the proceedings in the application for issuance of production warrants moved before the Special Judge (NIA), Mumbai, for the perusal of this court.

"The I.O. is also directed to place on record the report of the applicant's medical examination conducted once he reached Mumbai," it said.

The court has also asked for the record -- the application filed by the concerned Jail Superintendent, Tihar Jail seeking permission to transfer the applicant to Mumbai be also requisitioned for the concerned court.

Navlakha, who surrendered before the NIA last month, is being probed for his alleged role in the January 2, 2018, Bhima Koregaon violence case. In his plea filed through advocate Warisha Agrasar, Navlakha said he is a senior citizen suffering from colonic polyposis, chronic gastritis and lactose intolerance and has recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure by the doctor at Safdarjung Hospital.