Bhima Koregaon case: NIA files chargesheet against 8 persons

Mumbai, Oct 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a supplementary chargesheet against eight accused persons in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.

The 10,000-page supplementary chargesheet was filed at a Special NIA court here against eight accused -- Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, Anand Teltumbde, Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap, Milind Teltumbde and Stan Swamy -- under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

An NIA official said that the anti-terror probe agency conducted meticulous, scientific and detailed analysis of more than 10,000 pages of communications made by various accused, and went through reliable oral, documentary and material evidences before filing the chargesheet.

"NIA's investigation revealed that the tentacles of conspiracy were not only spread throughout the country, but also extended beyond India," the official said.

He said the incriminating documents recovered from the accused include their "discreet communications" with other Maoist cadres regarding conspiracy related to the violent incident of Bhima Koregaon as part of their well chalked-out strategy.

"It also included various documents regarding mobilisation against the constitutionally established government by the Maoist cadres, information about the movement of security forces with an intention to cause heavy damage to the state," the official said.

He claimed that the accused used "discreet codes" for secret communication among themselves to avoid detection by the security forces regarding their conspiracy and planning.

"The investigation further revealed a systematic network of Maoists operating for supply of arms and ammunition having close nexus with other banned organisation within and outside India," the NIA official said.

He alleged that the strategy and the tactics adopted by the Maoists to carry out so-called "urban revolution" with their frontal outfits has also been revealed during the investigation.

"Beside this, funding activities of Maoist cadres and their sympathisers to carry out Maoist work in rural as well urban areas came to the fore," the official said.

The NIA alleged that Gorkhe, Gaichor and Jagtap were trained cadres of the CPI (Maoist) and members of the Kabir Kala Manch, a frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist).

"They attended meetings for the organisation of the Elgar Parishad programme with other co-accused as part of a well chalked out conspiracy. They propagated the agenda of CPI (Maoist) and made planning and co-ordination all over Maharashtra," it alleged.

The NIA also claimed that the role of various frontal organisations of CPI (Maoist) has also emerged during the investigation.

"It has been established that the members of CPI (Maoist) were using these organisations to further their agenda," it said.

The NIA had registered a case on January 24 this year. The case pertains to inciting people and giving provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad organised by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31, 2017, which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life and property and state-wide agitations in Maharashtra.

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 organisers of Elgar Parishad as well as the accused arrested in the case to spread the ideology of Maoism and encourage unlawful activities.

The Pune Police had filed a chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet in this case on November 15, 2018 and February 21, 2019, respectively.

The NIA had arrested Gorkhe and Gaichor on September 7, while Jyoti Raghoba Jagtap was nabbed on September 8.

Source: IANS