On 27th April (Monday), 3 members of the Mumbai Press Club, Shrikant Modak, Bernard D’Mello and Gurubir Singh, were ousted after they invited 2018 Bhima Koregaon case accused on the terrace of the club for a party, reported Lokmat. The attendees were identified as Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Anand Teltumbde, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Hany Babu, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha, among others. The event was held on 19th January and lasted for four hours, from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm in the presence of former office-bearers of the club.
Some of them are subject to bail conditions mandated by the Supreme Court and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, which distinctly prevent them from associating with co-accused while on bail. Therefore, a formal inquiry transpired and the trio, who served as former presidents of the club, was found guilty, after which the Managing Committee endorsed the expulsion resolution with a majority greater than two-thirds.
A follow-up inquiry showed that this was a well-organised gathering of the perpetrators involved in the critical legal procedure rather than just a regular program. The club’s secretary received two complaints in relation to the issue. The first complaint was detailed and supported by documentary evidence. It clearly pointed out that some of them were bound by specific bail conditions imposed by the apex court and the NIA court.
The complainant inquired about how such a meeting could have occurred on the club premises, who was accountable for it and what position the club administration would adopt. Hence, the chairman and secretary of the club took prompt action acknowledging the gravity of the matter.
A show-cause notice was swiftly issued to Singh. Nevertheless, he disseminated the notice on social media and started sharing contradictory details. Afterwards, two online news outlets released inaccurate reports asserting that the Mumbai Press Club had banned Anand Teltumbde and other human rights advocates.
Singh consistently emphasised the names of Teltumbde and Navlakha through his misleading campaign, despite the fact that neither of their bail conditions prevented them from meeting the co-accused. It was clear that the purpose was to distract from the names who were bound by this restriction.
A few days later, D’Mello and Modak admitted that they had arranged the meeting. Singh, however, submitted a detailed written response denying any involvement and presented a peculiar argument. He claimed that the applicable bail conditions were not relevant to him and he bore no responsibility for ensuring adherence to them, conveniently ignoring his proactive involvement in bringing them together.
The findings of the panel and the club’s decision
The Managing Committee appointed a three-member inquiry committee comprising Chairman Rajesh Mascarenhas, Secretary Mayuresh Ganpatye and Treasurer Saurabh Sharma. CCTV footage revealed that Gurubir Singh was the first to reach the terrace, where he directed the waiters to set up the tables in a “C” formation while also greeting each guest upon their arrival.
According to the billing records, Singh himself paid a total of around ₹12,500. The entry registers documented Hany Babu, Rona Wilson and Arun Ferreira as his guests. During the inquiry, attempts were also made to exert external pressure.
Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha provided unsolicited recommendations against taking any disciplinary measures while the inquiry remained pending. A requisition was also drafted, and numerous members notified the club administration that their signatures had been collected without complete disclosure of information. In spite of these tactics, the panel executed its duties impartially, basing its conclusions exclusively on the evidence.
During the Managing Committee meeting convened on Monday, member Anurag Kamble pointed out that those who had previously labeled the club as an “urban Naxal hub” held an extended meeting within the club property for the very same accused. He put forth a resolution for a 6-year expulsion in line with the club’s bylaws. This proposal was seconded by Shashank Parade and was approved with a majority exceeding two-thirds.
The club administration has clarified that there is no prohibition against Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha or any other person. Nevertheless, it is their responsibility to conduct inquiries and initiate appropriate intervention against actions that tarnish the reputation of the institution or contravene court orders.
Journalism-related institutions are essential to the fourth pillar of democracy, and any negligence by them regarding judicial matters can be detrimental to democracy. The Mumbai Press Club is committed to the freedom of journalism and, with that same commitment, is also devoted to ensuring that its area is not misused in way that could threaten the rule of law.
On the other hand, officials from the NIA made a visit to the Press Club on 29th April (Wednesday) to obtain information about the incident in which some accused violated their bail terms by meeting one another. The Supreme Court had firmly barred them from meeting each other when they were granted bail. Hence, two officers arrived there and took possession of the documents related to the inquiry that the club conducted regarding this matter.
Saurabh Sharma who is Treasurer of the club stated, “The NIA officials learned through media reports that the Press Club had suspended three of its members for facilitating a meeting among the accused in the Koregaon-Bhima case. We are ready to extend our full cooperation to the NIA officials concerning this matter.”
Bhima Koregaon Case
The case pertains to an event organised at Shaniwar Wada called Elgar Parishad on 31st December 2017. The following day, i.e. 1st January 2018, large scale violence broke out at Bhima Koregaon, where lakhs of Dalits had gathered to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon, won by the British Army, comprising mostly soldiers from Dalit community, against the Peshwas in 1818. An FIR was filed in connection with the violence on 8th January after which Pune Police kickstarted a probe into it. According to the authorities, the event was organised as a part of Maoist activity and the accused were members of the proscribed group.
