The NIA on Monday and Tuesday arrested three people in connection with the incidents of violence in 2017-18 at an event in Pune commemorating the Battle of Koregaon.
The three, Sagar Tatyaram Gorkhe, Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor and Jyoti Raghoba Jagtap were arrested in Mumbai over a case filed by the Pune Police in 2018. All three are residents of Pune and have been accused of being members of the banned terrorist outfit Kabir Kala Manch, a frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist).
The case was filed based on a complaint that activists of the KKM incited people and gave provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad event at Shaniwarwada in Pune, “which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life & property and state-wide agitation in Maharashtra.”
Following the incidents of violence, a state-wide bandh was declared. At least one person lost their life due to the violence and dozens were injured including several policemen.
“During investigation, it was revealed that senior leaders of CPI (Maoist), an organisation banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, were in contact with the organizers of Elgar Parishad as well as the accused arrested in the case so as to spread the ideology of Maoism/Naxalism and encourage unlawful activities,” the NIA said.
The accused were arrested under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 505(1)(b) (statements conducing public mischief with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public), 117 (abetting the commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the government of India), 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121), 124A (sedition), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention); in addition to sections 13,16, 17,18, 18 (B), 20, 38, 39 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
In a video released on social media on September 5, Gorjkhe and Gaichor alleged that they were being coerced by the NIA into giving confessional statements including admitting to having links with the Maoists, saying that since they refused to cooperate, they were likely to be arrested.
The Pune Police filed charge-sheet and a supplementary charge-sheet in this case on November 15, 2018 and February 21, 2019 respectively, with the above three persons named as accused.
The NIA had earlier arrested Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14 this year, followed by Hanybabu Musaliyavirtil Tarayil on July 28.
“During further investigation, it was revealed that accused Sagar Tatyaram Gorkhe, Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor and Jyoti Raghoba Jagtap were propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology and were a co-conspirators with other arrested accused. It has also come on record that the arrested accused persons were in contact with absconding accused Milind Teltumbde about Urban network of CPI (Maoist). Also it is established that during their visits (of Kabir Kala Munch, members) in jungle, they underwent weapon & explosive training and awareness programme on various topics related to Maoist movement,” the NIA said.
“It is also established that as per the evidence on record that in June 2018 absconding accused Milind Teltumbde discussed about the Elgar Parishad Programme which was organized at Pune and the subsequent in-roads made by the CPI (Maoist) in the organization and execution through the members of Kabir Kala Munch and other frontal organizations,” it added.
The arrested accused were produced before the NIA Special Court at Mumbai today and given 4 days of NIA custody for interrogation.
were followed by a state-wide bandh, with at least one person losing their life due to the violence.
were followed by a state-wide bandh, with at least one person losing their life due to the violence.
were followed by a state-wide bandh, with at least one person losing their life due to the violence.