A bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice S V N. Bhatti said, “If you (Gautam Navlakha) have asked for it (house arrest), you have to pay (the expenses on security). You cannot escape your liability.”
Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted bail to 82-year-old activist P Varavara Rao in the case.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Friday vehemently contested the Supreme Court order allowing activist Gautam Navlakha, accused in Bhima Koregaon case, to be placed under house arrest.
Navlakha, 67, has sought bail saying he is aged and particularly vulnerable to catching any infections/virus, especially in a crowded environment like prison
Three week protection given to Navlakha by the Bombay High Court was expiring on Friday.
Justice S Ravindra Bhat is the fifth apex court judge to recuse himself from hearing the matter when it came up for hearing before a three-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Sharan and S Ravindra Bhat.
A caveat means that the party urge the court to not pass any order without hearing it.
The activists were arrested following a probe into a conclave — ‘Elgaar Parishad’ — held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village in the state.
The state government will mention the issue before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, seeking an immediate stay on the Delhi High Court order.
The high court granted him the relief saying that the Supreme Court last week had given him the liberty to approach the appropriate forum within four weeks to seek relief, which he has availed.
