Mahesh Raut

Extra Bio Info:

Mahesh Raut is detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested several prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, including Raut, who worked with the local self-governance institutions of Adivasis in rural Maharashtra. Authorities accused Raut and others of inciting caste-based violence through speeches on December 31, 2017, that resulted in violent clashes the next day in Bhima Koregaon and neighboring villages in Maharashtra state.  Authorities also accused them of having ties to banned Maoist groups. Raut was reportedly charged under various sections of the Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

On October 5, 2018, several UN human rights experts expressed concern that the charges against Raut and other activists in the case are “being used to silence human rights defenders who promote and protect the rights of India’s Dalit, indigenous, and tribal communities.”

On February 14, 2020, Raut’s case was transferred from Pune, Maharashtra, to a special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai.

In June 2021, it was reported that Raut had tested positive for COVID-19 while in jail.

In August 2021, the National Investigation Agency submitted draft charges to a special court in Mumbai, claiming that Raut and others accused in the case were active members of the banned terrorist organization Communist Party of India. It also alleged that the accused wanted to establish a “janta sarkar” “via revolution supported by a commitment to protracted armed struggle to undermine and to seize power from the state.” The accused were charged with over a dozen offenses including, "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), public mischief (Sec. 505(1)(B) IPC), “waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India” (Sec. 121 IPC), “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state (Sec. 121A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and several sections under UAPA.

On September 21, 2023, the Bombay High Court granted Raut bail. However, it stayed the order a week to allow prosecutors to appeal.

On September 27, 2023, the Supreme Court stayed Raut's bail pending appeal.

Raut is currently at Taloja Central Jail, Navi Mumbai.

Raul suffers from various ailments and has reportedly been denied adequate medical care.

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