(Image source from: The Hindu)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the house arrest of five rights activists who were arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence case till September 17.

A Bench consisting Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud adjourned the hearing on the plea filed by historian Romila Thapar and four others to September 17 after it was submitted that Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior advocate, who is representing the petitioners, was busy in another court.

Earlier, Singhvi appeared before the Bench and submitted that the hearing on Thapar's plea be conducted after 12 noon as he has to appear in another matter.

The court was hearing the plea filed against the apprehension of the rights activists - Arun Ferreira, Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, and Gautam Navlakha - in the case.

Pune police had arrested the five activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR (First Information Report) lodged following a conclave - 'Elgaar Parishad' - held on December 31 earlier this year that they claim had later triggered violence at Bhima-Koregaon.

The apex court on August 29, ordered the house arrest of the activists, saying "dissent is the safety valve of democracy."

By Sowmya Sangam