"Will Intervene If Needed," Says Top Court On Activists' Arrest | Read

The Supreme Court has extended the house arrest for five rights activists, accused of Maoist links, till September 19 when it will hear a petition seeking their release. During the hearing on Monday, the government opposed what it called the Supreme Court's interference in the case. "We have to see police documents. We may cancel the case here if there's nothing. If it calls for our intervention, we will look into it," the top court bench said. The petition by historian Romila Thapar and four others has challenged last month's arrest of the five activists that sparked a chorus of outraged protests from human rights defenders.