Bhima Koregaon Violence: Pune court releases Professor Anand Teltumbde

The arrest of dalit scholar Dr Anand Teltumbde brought major embarrassment for Pune police as the special court today termed the arrest as illegal. 'As per the Supreme Court's order, Teltumbde has the protection from arrest till February 11 to approach the competent authority and therefore arresting him before that is illegal and contempt of Apex Court's order' the special court in Pune today ordered. 

Teltumbde was arrested in the wee hours from Mumbai airport when he landed in Mumbai from Kerala. The Pune police took a decision of arresting him after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the special judge Kishor Vadane on Friday.

However, the defence counsel challenged Teltumbde's arrest in the special court in Pune by moving an application citing the arrest as contempt of court's order. Rohan Nahar, the defence lawyer representing Teltumbe said, "When Teltumbde approached the Supreme Court, the Apex court has given him protection from arrest for four weeks which ends on February 11 and till that date, he can approach the competent authority for legal remedies."

"While the protection from the arrest was still on, the Pune police still went ahead and arrested him after his bail application was rejected in the court in Pune. Teltumbde still has the time to approach the higher court but police did not give him that time which is nothing but contempt of the Supreme Court's order," Nahar argued. 

The prosecution on the other hand argued that since the special court in Pune rejected his bail application, his protection from arrest got over and therefore,, Pune police's action was justified. Arguing in the court, special public prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar said, "The Supreme Court in its order has stated that the accused has the time of four weeks within which will has to approach the competent authority for legal remedy. Since he approached the court here, his protection got extinguished and therefore, his arrest is legal."

The special judge Kishor Vadane termed the arrest as illegal. While pronouncing the order, he said, "Supreme Court has given accused interim protection of four weeks for him to approach the competent authority. Here, the competent authority includes the High Court as well as the Supreme Court whom he can approach in stipulated time and therefore his arrest stands illegal."

After the Court's order, relieved Teltumbde said, "Rule of law is the soul of the democracy and when it collapses, big problem arises. In my innocence, I thought there is a rule of law in the country and we can question the authorities. However, in present condition, whoever holds the authority has no accountability. We have reduced to such a regime."

He also alleged that it is a conspiracy which is now being exposed at the international level. "The kind of letters the prosecution is producing in the court, it is not just me but any one whose name is mentioned in these letters, their lives will be jeopardised," he said. 

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh president Prakash Ambedkar who is a relative of Teltumbde was also present in the court during the hearing. After the court's order, Ambedkar said, "The action of the police raise many questions. Their entire outlook is questionable."

Stating that Teltumbde has critical view of Elgaar Parishad. "He had written against Elgaar Parishad but the police arrested him in the case connected with Elgaar Parishad which is self-contradictory," he added.