Delhi University Professor Hany Babu Marks Five Years in Prison Without Trialor Bail
By Amit Kumar
Five years have passed since Dr. Hany Babu, an associate professor at Delhi University and prominent
advocate for social justice, was imprisoned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in
connection with the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case. Arrested on July 28, 2020, Babu remains
incarcerated without bail or trial at Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai.
Babu, who has been recognized for his anti-caste activism and support for marginalized communities,
was detained by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over allegations of inciting violence at an
event held on December 31, 2017. The event, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of
Bhima Koregaon, was followed by clashes the next day in Maharashtra. Authorities also claimed Babu
and others had connections to banned Maoist organizations, a charge consistently denied by the
accused and their supporters.
Despite the lack of a completed trial, Babu remains behind bars along with several other activists
who were arrested in the same case. His prolonged imprisonment has drawn criticism from rights
organizations and academics alike. Campaign Against State Repression, a collective of over three
dozen organisations, demanded the immediate release of Hany Babu, whom they described as
“wrongfully” incarcerated.
In 2021, his family and legal team alleged that authorities had refused to provide him with necessary
medical care, despite his suffering from an acute eye infection, pain and a gradual loss of vision.
On 16 July, Supreme Court granted liberty to Babu to approach either the trial court or the high court
to seek bail in the case.
The top court also granted him permission to seek revival of his earlier special leave petition (SLP)
filed in the SC which was withdrawn.
Babu had pulled back his bail application to the Supreme Court in May 2024, choosing instead to
seek relief through the Bombay High Court, which has since granted bail to several others in the case,
including Sudha Bharadwaj, Sudhir Dhawale, and Rona Wilson.