NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed its reservation with its previous order allowing a Bhima Koregaon case accused to be put under house arrest, saying that it might set a wrong precedent.
The apex court's bench led by Justice K M Joseph, who has retired, had on November 10, 2022,
had allowed activist Gautam Navlakha to be placed under house arrest, taking noting of "deteriorating health" of the 70-year-old accused.
On Friday as NIA led by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju contended it was an "unusual and unwarranted" order of the house arrest, a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and J B Pardiwala said, "Prima facie we have our reservations, but a lengthy order has been passed."
"Without going into the merits of the case, this might set a wrong precedent," the bench added in oral remarks.
The court said his plea might have merit, but to facilitate this could create wrong precedent.
Raju said he is on house arrest, which according to him, was "unwarranted, as it was initially granted on health grounds". He said Navalakha is required to pay Rs one crore for security and surveillance.
Navlakha's counsel senior advocate Nithya Ramakrishnan contested the submission with regard to calculation of the charge. She said a sum of Rs eight lakh has already been deposited.
The court deferred the matter related to shifting of Navlakha to some other place for consideration after eight weeks.
