The Bombay High Court on Wednesday turned down a plea by rights activist and scholar Dr. Anand Teltumbde seeking permission to travel abroad for academic commitments in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Faced with the bench’s disinclination, Teltumbde eventually withdrew his application.
Background
Dr. Teltumbde, an accused in the Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon case, had approached the court after receiving invitations from prestigious institutions including the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University, Nottingham Trent University, Oxford University, and others. His plea detailed a packed itinerary: seminars, lectures on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, master classes with Ph.D. candidates, and meetings with faculty members.
The petition emphasized that his recognition as a visiting scholar was based on his international scholarship in social justice. According to the schedule, he was to begin in Amsterdam on April 1, move to the UK in May, and return to Mumbai by May 21.
However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raised objections, voicing concerns that the academic assignments could be used as a pretext for absconding.
Court’s Observations
Right at the outset, Justice Ajay Gadkari made the court’s stance clear. “Either give virtual lectures or don’t go,” he remarked, reflecting skepticism about granting foreign travel in such circumstances.
Senior advocate Mihir Desai, representing Teltumbde, argued that his client’s role extended beyond lectures-it involved conducting detailed seminars and interactions that were hard to replicate online. But the court was not convinced.
Special counsel Chintan Shah, appearing for the NIA, pressed the argument further. The agency feared that Teltumbde might evade trial if permitted to travel.
Justice Gadkari pointedly reminded Desai that the special NIA court had already rejected Teltumbde’s discharge application. “Now the attending circumstance is that the discharge application has been rejected… and thus there is this apprehension. We are not inclined,” the bench noted.
Decision
With the bench unwilling to budge, Desai sought permission to withdraw the plea. The court allowed the withdrawal, thereby closing the matter.
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For now, Dr. Anand Teltumbde’s hopes of addressing European universities in person remain suspended, with the High Court’s message being firm: academic prestige cannot outweigh judicial concerns.
Case: Bombay High Court refuses Anand Teltumbde foreign travel plea in Bhima Koregaon case
Date: 1 Oct 2025 / Wednesday
Petitioner: Dr. Anand Teltumbde, rights activist and academic scholar, accused in Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon case
