Pune Sessions Court judge terms custody of writer and Dalit scholar illegal.

Writer and academic Anand Teltumbde, who was arrested by the Pune police at the domestic terminal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday, was released in the afternoon by a Pune court that termed his arrest illegal.

According to police sources, Mr. Teltumbde was picked up from the domestic terminal soon after his arrival from Kochi. A special Pune court on Friday rejected his anticipatory bail application, observing that his custodial interrogation was necessary in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case.

To appeal to HC

Mr. Teltumbde had come to Mumbai to approach the Bombay High Court against the Pune court’s order.

Mr. Teltumbde was first taken to the Airport police station and then to Pune, where he was produced before a special Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act court.

Special judge Kishore Vadane referred to the Supreme Court’s earlier order, which granted Mr. Teltumbde protection from arrest till February 11, during which time he could seek regular or pre-arrest bail.