On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the Supreme Court made a notable decision by granting interim bail to Mahesh Raut, an activist accused in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case. This temporary release, spanning six weeks, was issued specifically on compassionate medical grounds.
During the proceedings, senior advocate C.U. Singh, representing Mr. Raut, informed the Bench, comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma, that his client is battling rheumatoid arthritis, a severe autoimmune condition. He argued that Mr. Raut urgently needs specialized medical treatment, which cannot be provided adequately within the prison system or even at Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, where he had previously been evaluated.
Conversely, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) strongly opposed the bail request, emphasizing the gravity of the accusations against Mr. Raut, which include the alleged transfer of funds to Maoist organizations.
Mr. Singh reminded the court that the Bombay High Court had previously granted his client regular bail on September 21, 2023. However, this order was later put on hold by the Supreme Court following an appeal from the NIA. He highlighted the significant passage of time, stating, “The High Court granted bail, it has been two years.”
Ultimately, the Supreme Court Bench approved the interim bail application. Their decision considered the fact that the Bombay High Court had already granted Mr. Raut regular bail, despite that order being temporarily overturned by the Supreme Court. The court’s order explicitly stated, “The applicant is seeking interim bail on medical grounds coupled with the fact that he was actually granted bail [by the High Court]. We are inclined to grant medical bail for a period of six weeks.”
Mahesh Raut, known as a social activist, was initially apprehended by Pune police in June 2018. His arrest was in connection with the violence that erupted at Bhima-Koregaon on January 1, 2018, which tragically resulted in one fatality. The NIA claims that this violence was a direct consequence of inflammatory speeches given at the Elgar Parishad conclave, an event that took place in December 2017 at Pune’s historic Shaniwarwada palace-fort.
Despite the interim bail, Mr. Raut currently remains under judicial custody at Taloja prison in Maharashtra. The NIA has formally accused him under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, asserting his alleged association with the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).