India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI, APRIL 14—Human rights activist and former journalist Gautam Navalakaha on Tuesday surrendered before the National Investigation Agency(NIA) in New Delhi after the Supreme Court refused to consider his request to defer his arrest in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

He was asked by the Supreme Court on March 16 to surrender within three weeks. However, he went to appeal against this order seeking extension of time for surrender saying that going to jail during the Covid-19 pandemic would amount to a “virtual death sentence”.

A bench of Justice Arun Mishra on April 8 said that the accused should have surrendered within three weeks of time honouring the orders of the Supreme Court that had rejected his anticipatory bail application.

Navalakha has been accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his involvement in the Bhima Koregaon violence of 2018.

Navalakha is among the five activists said to be having Maoists links and alleged to be involved in Bhima-Koregaon violence on January 1, 2018.