After three long years, Sudha Bharadwaj steps out of jail

Release delayed by over two hours due to documentation process; while Bharadwaj makes no comment as per the release order, her friend says battle on as long as other accused in the case remain behind bars

After spending three years inside the prison even as no charge sheet was filed against her in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, activist and lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj stepped out of Byculla jail on Thursday afternoon. Her friends and family members were present to receive her from 9.30 am as she was supposed to be released at 10 am, but due to some delay in the documentation process, she was released at 12.41 pm. Amid media persons thronging her, trying to get a comment from her, she just waved her hand once before getting in the car.

Her friend addressed the media instead, saying they were happy with her release, but with a heavy heart as other people still remain behind bars in a case that is “fraudulent” and made with “inadmissible evidence”. Before her release, Bharadwaj’s friend Smita Gupta told the media that Bharadwaj and her family members will not speak as per the court’s order. So, on their behalf, Gupta said, “We, her friends and family members, are extremely happy that she will step out of jail after three years, but on the other hand we are in grief that three years of her life were spent inside the prison in a false case. Everyone knows what is happening in this case, soon it will be clear that this case was based on fraudulent and inadmissible evidence.”

‘Hope this case dies a natural death’

Gupta added, “We are happy that Sudha is walking out today but our heart is heavy that other accused who have been framed in the case are not walking out with her. We hope this case dies a natural death sooner rather than later.”

Speaking further about Bharadwaj’s release she said that, “They have been framed only because these people are human rights defenders and they have fought for the poorest for this country. They fought against land acquisition, they fought before courts for farmers and for tribals. They fought in democratic struggles, they are not people who have done anything wrong. The state is scared of these people and that is why the state has incarcerated them, without trial or bail and without any evidence against them.”

Bharadwaj was granted default bail by the Bombay High Court last week. However, NIA challenged the bail order before the Supreme Court, which upheld the HC order. The special NIA court, however, has set stringent conditions on Bharadwaj including restriction on travelling out of the city or the country, as well as restriction on making any comment to the media regarding the case. 

12.41pm
Time she stepped out the jail

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