Their plea is that the chargesheets against them should be quashed as the prosecution evidence against them was fabricated and planted on electronic devices the police seized.

Also last week, the Supreme Court began hearing the petitions challenging the arrest of NewsClick’s founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and its Human Resources head Amit Chakraborty. They were arrested under an FIR that invoked the UAPA. From Bhima Koregaon to NewsClick, India continues its journey through a hell called UAPA, on a path that deviates little.

The seizure of electronic devices in the Bhima Koregaon case took place after one Tushar Damgude filed a complaint, on January 8, 2018, at the Vishrambaug police station, Pune. Damgude said the cultural performances at the Elgar Parishad, held on December 31, 2017, were provocative, and designed to implement the Maoist policy of inciting the “backward class” to resort to violence at the celebration to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. Incredible for an ordinary citizen to know that!