A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Tuesday granted interim bail for 18 days to Mahesh Raut, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case, to enable him to appear for law degree exams.

Arrested in 2018 for his alleged role in the seven-year-old case, Raut is currently lodged at Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

Special judge Chakor Bhaviskar granted temporary bail to Raut from January 13 to January 30 to enable him to appear for Bachelor of Laws (LLB) examinations in Mumbai.

The court allowed temporary relief to the accused on executing personal recognition bond of Rs 50,000 with a surety in the like amount.

It directed Raut to furnish proof of address of his residence during the temporary bail period as well as an active mobile number to jail authorities and the investigating agency.

The accused shall not misuse the liberty granted to him and surrender to jail authorities on the day his examinations get over, the court noted in its order.

Raut and 14 other accused, including activists and academicians, were booked in connection with allegedly provocative speeches that were delivered at the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017.

The conclave was backed by Maoists and inflammatory speeches delivered at the gathering triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima village, located on Pune city's outskirts, during a commemorative event the next day, according to police.

The NIA later took over the probe into the case from the Pune police.

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