Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by 73-year-old alleged Naxalite activist Satyanarayan Rani in connection with the 2019 Gadchiroli blast incident in which 15 police personnel and a civilian were killed.

A division bench of Justice Bharti Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande dismissed the petition.

A detailed copy of the order will be available later.

Rani got bail from the High Court in the case in July 2022. He later filed a petition in the High Court seeking acquittal from the case and claiming there was no evidence against him.

On May 1, 2019, 15 police personnel were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeting a vehicle carrying members of the Maharashtra Police's Quick Response Team (QRT).

Rani was arrested from Hyderabad in June the same year. He was also accused of being an alleged Naxalite activist and being part of the blast conspiracy.

The case is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Rani has been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Explosive Substances Act.

The NIA opposed the petition, arguing that there was prima facie evidence to show his involvement in Naxalite activities and the blast.