The Bombay High Court has recently granted bail to Mahesh Raut in connection with the Elgaar Parishad case, with the condition that the order will be stayed for a week upon the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) request.

Raut, a dedicated land rights activist working in the Gadchiroli region of Maharashtra, had initially sought regular bail in 2022 after his bail plea was rejected by the special NIA court in November 2021. Let’s take a closer look at Mahesh Raut and his background.

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Mahesh Raut is an activist deeply involved in working with Adivasi communities in Gadchiroli. Notably, he is the youngest among the accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case.

Raut hails from Lakhapur village in Chandrapur district, which is part of Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region. His educational journey led him to Navodaya School in Gadchiroli, and he briefly served as a primary school teacher in 2007. In pursuit of his passion for social work, he joined the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai in 2009.

Upon completing his studies at TISS, Raut earned a coveted position as a Prime Minister Rural Development (PMRD) fellow. In 2018, he faced a health challenge, battling acute ulcerative colitis.

More about Mahesh Raut:

As a co-convener of the Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vilas Andolan (VVJVA), Raut has been active in the struggle against the displacement of marginalized communities. Within the framework of VVJVA, he has collaborated with Adivasi communities to promote the direct sale of Tendu leaves in the market, eliminating middlemen.

Additionally, Mahesh Raut is a member of the Bharat Jan Andolan, a human rights non-governmental organization. He has campaigned against various mining projects in Gadchiroli, including the Surajgarh mining project.

His legal troubles began on 6 June 2018 when the Pune Police arrested him at his residence. They booked him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

What is the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case?

For context, the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence occurred during an annual celebratory gathering on 1 January 2018 at Bhima Koregaon. This event commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. The violence at the event entailed a crowd pelting stones, leading to the tragic death of a 28-year-old individual. It also caused injuries to five others.

This annual celebration, also popular as the Elgar Parishad convention, was a brainchild of retired justices B. G. Kolse Patil and P. B. Sawant. Justice Sawant explained that “Elgar” in this context means a loud invitation or declaration, emphasizing the significance of the event.