Bombay HC Releases Bhima Koregaon Accused on Bail, Over 300 Witnesses Yet to Be Heard

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale, two of the accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case.

A Division Bench comprising Justice A.S. Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata cited several reasons for granting bail, including the prolonged incarceration of the accused, the non-framing of charges, and the extensive process of examining over 300 witnesses.

Bail Conditions

The bail was granted with the following conditions:

• Both accused must furnish bail bonds of ₹1 lakh each.
• They must report to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) every Monday.

Background of the Bhima Koregaon Case

Wilson was arrested in July 2018 and has since been in judicial custody under charges brought under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In July 2024, the Bombay High Court had denied default bail to Wilson, Dhawale, and three other accused in the same case.

The Bhima Koregaon case originates from the Elgar Parishad event organised on December 31, 2017, by activists, including retired Supreme Court judge Justice P.B. Sawant and retired Bombay High Court judge Justice B.G. Kolse-Patil. The event marked the bicentennial anniversary of the Dalit soldiers’ victory over the Brahmin Peshwa ruler in the Battle of Bhima Koregaon.

The event, however, was followed by violent clashes between Dalit and Maratha groups on January 1, 2018, resulting in one death and multiple injuries. Three First Information Reports (FIRs) were subsequently filed.

The FIR of January 8, 2018, alleged links between leftist groups and Maoist organisations, forming the basis for the Bhima Koregaon case. This FIR led to the arrest of 16 individuals and the filing of three chargesheets.