Overview

• A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi questioned prolonged incarceration without trial and pressed the prosecution on why proceedings have stalled.
• Maharashtra was directed to file a statement detailing causes of delay, reasons for non-disposal of discharge pleas with order-sheet summaries, the prosecution’s trial plan including any split for absconders, and a target period to finish the trial, with the matter listed for October 28–29.
• Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said the holdup stems from Surendra Gadling insisting on physical presence to argue discharge, citing security concerns against producing him, and the bench indicated the plea could be decided if he declines to argue.
• Senior advocate Anand Grover argued the case rests on electronic material allegedly seized illegally in the Bhima Koregaon probe, while the ASG maintained warrants are not required during investigation and that such material is still usable as evidence.
• Gadling has been in custody since 2018 in related matters and was denied bail by the Bombay High Court in 2023 over alleged CPI (Maoist) links, with accusations tying him to the 2016 Surajgarh arson of 76 vehicles.