New Delhi: Observing that dissent is the safety valve of democracy, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the five activists — Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and P. Varavara Rao, arrested by the police in relation to Bhima-Koregaon violence be kept in “house arrest” till September 6.
A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, in the meanwhile sought the response of Maharashtra government on the writ petition challenging the arrest of five activists for their alleged Maoists links.
The Bench which took up the matter at 4.30 pm as an urgent case made it clear that the five activists will not be arrested in the meantime, but will be detained at their respective homes until the next hearing date.
At the outset the Chief Justice made it clear that the Court will not look into technical objections.
Justice Chandrachud observed, “dissent is a safety valve for democracy. If you don’t allow this safety valve, then the pressure cooker will burst. Look at the people who are arrested after nine months. They are professors, lawyers and activists working for a cause.”
Earlier in the day the National Human Rights Commission sought the state’s response observing that it appears that the standard operating procedure in connection with these arrests has not been properly followed by the police, which may amount to violation of their human rights.
