Bombay High Court Instructs Varavara Rao to Seek Permission for Hyderabad Travel for Cataract Surgery in Bhima Koregaon Case

"Varavara Rao, a key figure in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, has been directed by the Bombay High Court to approach a division bench of the court for permission to travel from Mumbai to Hyderabad for cataract surgery. Rao's request is essentially a plea to modify his bail conditions, which currently prohibit him from leaving Mumbai during the trial."

Justice SV Kotwal, the single-judge presiding over the case, noted that the application made by Rao essentially sought a change in his bail conditions. As per the previous bail granted by a division bench of the High Court, Rao is not allowed to leave Mumbai during the trial. In light of this, the matter can only be addressed by a division bench, according to the law established by the Supreme Court.

Consequently, the application will be treated as an appeal and will be heard by a division bench headed by Justice AS Gadkari.

Rao was arrested in 2018 and remained in judicial custody until March 2021 when the Bombay High Court granted him temporary bail for six months on medical grounds. In August 2022, the Supreme Court granted him bail on medical grounds, with a condition that he cannot leave the jurisdiction of the special court under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act in Mumbai without explicit court permission.

Rao argued that the trial has not yet commenced, and his vision is deteriorating due to the progression of cataract. He further asserted that the cost of surgery and post-operative care in Mumbai was high, while it was provided free of charge in Telangana, his home state, for pension holders.

On April 27, 2013, the High Court had directed the NIA to verify Rao's claim regarding the availability of free cataract treatment in Telangana.