Hours after arrest, Pune court orders Dalit scholar’s release

Mumbai, February 2

Hours after he was picked up from the Mumbai airport during the wee hours today, a Pune court released academician and Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde from the police custody terming his arrest illegal.

Pune police personnel produced Dr Teltumbde before UAPA special judge Kishore D Vadane. Dr Teltumbde’s lawyer Rohan Nadar argued before the court that the Pune police were in contempt of the Supreme Court’s order which had granted him protection from arrest till February 11.

Prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar, however, argued that the four-week protection granted by the top court to seek remedy from the local court was extinguished the day the UAPA court denied his plea seeking anticipatory bail. Judge Vadane had rejected Dr Teltumbde’s plea on Friday.

Dr Teltumbde’s lawyer had, however, said he would be moving the High Court challenging his anticipatory bail. The UAPA court, however, conceded to the defence lawyer’s plea and released Dr Teltumbde immediately.

Dr Teltumbde said the arrest was an attempt to malign his image. “It is embarrassing for a person of international stature like me,” he said. — TNS