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Synopsis

The Supreme Court of India on Friday granted bail to Shoma Sen, accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.

"We think Sen should not be denied bail considering her health conditions. We set aside the impugned judgment and direct the conditions that special court may consider proper may be imposed on bail", a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and AG Masih has held.

Additionally, the court has imposed certain conditions on Sen, apart from those that may be assigned by the special court dealing with her trial.

Court has asked Sen not to leave the State of Maharashtra and to surrender her passport.

"She shall inform NIA about her residence. She will use only one mobile number which shall be informed to the NIA officer. She shall keep the location status or GPS of her mobile phone active at all times", the judgment adds.

A Division Bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice NJ Jamadar of the Bombay High Court had rejected the default bail plea of eight other co-accused in the case including Sen while allowing Sudha Bharadwaj’s default bail plea.

Sen was arrested by the Pune Police in 2018. In her plea before the Bombay High Court, Sen had stated that in August 2018, the investigating officer requested an extension of time to file charges against her and three other accused, which was granted by a Pune Sessions Judge on September 2, 2018. Later, on September 27, 2018, the four accused applied for default bail, which was dismissed by the Special NIA Judge on June 26, 2022.

Case Title: Shoma Sen vs. State of Maharashtra