New Delhi, Oct 1: The Delhi High Court on Monday ordered the release of activist Gautam Navlakha, who was kept under house arrest by the Pune police for his links to the Elgar Parishad event held in Bhima-Koregaon on December 31 last year.

The court quashed the transit remand, calling "untenable in law". The bench also dismissed the appeal by Maharashtra Police's counsel, seeking extension of Navlakha's house arrest by at least two days.

Navlakha was among the five activists arrested by the Pune police in simultaneous raids carried out in six cities on August 28. Their custody was denied after the Supreme Court intervened in the case and ordered their house arrest till further judicial orders.

In a major setback for the activists, the apex court on Friday turned down the petition of historian Romila Thapar seeking the release of the five activists held under house arrest.

Through a 2:1 verdict, the court decided not to order their release, claiming that the accused were not arrest for merely dissenting against the incumbent government at the Centre. The minority verdict, read out by Justice DY Chandrachud, however, claimed that the arrests were aimed at muzzling dissent.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed the Pune police's stand has been vindicated by the top court's order. He reiterated that the accused were arrested for their alleged links with the banned Maoists, along with their purported involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2018 05:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).