Bhima Koregaon accused Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha move Bombay High Court for clone copies of devices seized

Bhima Koregaon accused Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha have approached the Bombay High Court seeking clone copies of all devices seized from them by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)..Bharadwaj and Navlakha stated in their application that it is pertinent to get the clone copies of their devices before charges are framed and the trial commences before the special court.NIA had submitted draft charges and the special court has kept the matter for framing of charges on August 23, 2021. .[Bhima Koregaon] NIA files draft charges against 15 accused in NIA Court.The applications by the two accused are appeals stemming from a common order of the Special NIA Court, Mumbai of June 23 rejecting their requests for clone copies..The accused had submitted before the special court that there were pending applications and some of the accused had not received clone copies of seized devices. In view of this, the accused had prayed that the stage of framing of charges be deferred till the applications are disposed of. .The special court had, however, refused to accept this argument. It had then posted the hearing on the applications for August 23, 2021 after directing NIA to file its response to the applications..Before the High Court today, advocate Yug Mohit Chaudhry appearing for the applicants requested the Bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar to hear the appeal and stay the framing of charges, till the clone copies are provided. .Advocate Sandesh Patil appearing for NIA, submitted that the agency would not press for framing of charges before the special court on August 23 and would seek deferment of the case till August 25, 2021. .The Bench accepted this statement and listed the appeal for hearing on August 25. .The accused, in their application, have sought parity on the ground that the accused who had been arrested by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Pune Police, were granted clone copies but the accused arrested by the NIA were not..NIA had claimed before the Special Court that they had no received clone copies from the forensic laboratory at Kalina and the special court had rejected the application due to that.