Extra Bio Info:

Gautam Navlakha is under house arrest for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On August 28, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested several prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, including Navlakha, a journalist. Authorities accused Navlakha and others of inciting caste-based violence through speeches on December 31, 2017, that resulted in violent clashes the next day in Bhima Koregaon and neighboring villages in Maharashtra state.  Authorities also accused them of having ties to banned Maoist groups. Navlakha was reportedly charged under various sections of the Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

On August 30, 2018, Navlakha was placed under house arrest.

On October 1, 2018, Navlakha was released from house arrest.

On October 5, 2018, several UN human rights experts expressed concern that the charges against Navlakha and other activists in the case are “being used to silence human rights defenders who promote and protect the rights of India’s Dalit, indigenous, and tribal communities.”

On February 14, 2020, Navlakha’s case was transferred from Pune, Maharashtra, to a special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai.

On March 17, 2020, the Supreme Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to Navlakha and ordered him to surrender to the Pune police within three weeks in connection with the case.

On April 14, 2020, Navlakha surrendered to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

In August 2021, the National Investigation Agency submitted draft charges to a special court in Mumbai, claiming that Navlakha and others accused in the case were active members of the banned terrorist organization Communist Party of India. It also alleged that the accused wanted to establish a “janta sarkar” “via revolution supported by a commitment to protracted armed struggle to undermine and to seize power from the state.” The accused were charged with over a dozen offenses including, "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), public mischief (Sec. 505(1)(B) IPC), “waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India” (Sec. 121 IPC), “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state (Sec. 121A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and several sections under UAPA.

In April 2022, the Bombay High Court rejected Navlakha’s plea to be transferred to house arrest due to his health and prison conditions.

On November 10, 2022, the Supreme Court ordered Navlakha be placed under house arrest. This order, however, was delayed following a challenge submitted by the NIA. 

On November 19, 2022, Navlakha was released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest.

On December 19, 2023, the Bombay High Court granted bail to Navlakha but imposed a three-week stay to allow the NIA to appeal.

Navlakha is reportedly in poor health and has reportedly been denied adequate medical care, including dental care.

Related Cases: Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Anand Teltumbde, Hany Babu, Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor, Sagar Tatyarao Gorakhe, Jyoti Jagtap, Stan Swamy

Extra Bio Info:

Rona Wilson is detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested several prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, including Wilson, a member of the Committee for Release of Political Prisoners. Authorities accused Wilson and others of inciting caste-based violence through speeches on December 31, 2017, that resulted in violent clashes the next day in Bhima Koregaon and neighboring villages in Maharashtra state.  Authorities also accused them of having ties to banned Maoist groups. Wilson was reportedly charged under various sections of the Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

On June 8, 2018, police announced that after searching Wilson’s laptop, they found a letter Wilson had allegedly written to a Maoist militant urging the assassination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On October 5, 2018, several UN human rights experts expressed concern that the charges against Wilson and other activists in the case are “being used to silence human rights defenders who promote and protect the rights of India’s Dalit, indigenous, and tribal communities.”

On February 14, 2020, Wilson’s case was transferred from Pune, Maharashtra, to a special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai.

In February 2021, a report from American digital forensics firm Arsenal Consulting concluded that a hacker used malware to plant incriminating letters onto Wilson’s computer.

In April 2021, Arsenal Consulting concluded that a hacker planted over 30 documents on Wilson’s computer.

In August 2021, the National Investigation Agency submitted draft charges to a special court in Mumbai, claiming that Wilson and others accused in the case were active members of the banned terrorist organization Communist Party of India. It also alleged that the accused wanted to establish a “janta sarkar” “via revolution supported by a commitment to protracted armed struggle to undermine and to seize power from the state.” The accused were charged with over a dozen offenses including, "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), public mischief (Sec. 505(1)(B) IPC), “waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India” (Sec. 121 IPC), “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state (Sec. 121A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and several sections under UAPA.

On September 7, 2021, Wilson was granted a 14-day bail scheduled from September 13 to September 27 to attend his father’s funeral rites.

In December 2021, it was reported that Wilson’s phone had been infiltrated using NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware before his arrest.

Wilson is currently at Taloja Central Jail, Navi Mumbai.

Related Cases: Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Sudhir Dhawale, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Anand Teltumbde, Hany Babu, Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor, Sagar Tatyarao Gorakhe, Jyoti Jagtap, Stan Swamy

Extra Bio Info:

Sudhir Dhawale is detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested several prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, including Dhawale, a writer and one of the organizers of the Elgar Parishad event. Authorities accused Dhawale and others of inciting caste-based violence through speeches on December 31, 2017, that resulted in violent clashes the next day in Bhima Koregaon and neighboring villages in Maharashtra state.  Authorities also accused them of having ties to banned Maoist groups. Dhawale was reportedly charged under various sections of the Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

On October 5, 2018, several UN human rights experts expressed concern that the charges against Dhawale and other activists in the case are “being used to silence human rights defenders who promote and protect the rights of India’s Dalit, indigenous, and tribal communities.”

On February 14, 2020, Dhawale’s case was transferred from Pune, Maharashtra, to a special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai.

In August 2021, the National Investigation Agency submitted draft charges to a special court in Mumbai, claiming that Dhawale and others accused in the case were active members of the banned terrorist organization Communist Party of India. It also alleged that the accused wanted to establish a “janta sarkar” “via revolution supported by a commitment to protracted armed struggle to undermine and to seize power from the state.” The accused were charged with over a dozen offenses including, "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), public mischief (Sec. 505(1)(B) IPC), “waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India” (Sec. 121 IPC), “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state (Sec. 121A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and several sections under UAPA.

Dhawale is currently at Taloja Central Jail, Navi Mumbai.

Dhawale has reportedly been denied proper medical care, including dental care.

Related Cases: Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Anand Teltumbde, Hany Babu, Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor, Sagar Tatyarao Gorakhe, Jyoti Jagtap, Stan Swamy