Elgar case accused activist Gonsalves suffering from dengue, his lawyer tells Mumbai court

Activist Vernon Gonsalves, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, is suffering from dengue, his lawyer on Thursday informed a special court, which is hearing his plea for temporary bail on medical grounds.

He has been admitted to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai and put on oxygen support, the lawyer said.

As per his lawyer, the 65-year-old activist was also suspected to be suffering from pneumonia.

Gonsalves's plea for temporary bail on medical grounds is pending before the special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court.

During the hearing on the plea before the court on Thursday, the lawyer told the court his client is suffering from dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease.

Hospital authorities confirmed the development. Gonsalves was arrested by the Pune police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after raids at residences and offices of several activists in connection with the case.

The police had claimed provocative speeches made at the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave on December 31, 2017, were responsible for the caste violence around Bhima-Korgaon village in Pune district the next day during an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon. One person was killed and several others were injured in the violence.

The case, in which over a dozen activists and academicians have been named accused, was later taken over by NIA.