NIA files supplementary chargesheet against 8 in Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case

The National Investigation Agency on Friday filed a supplementary chargesheet against eight activists including Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, and others before a special NIA court here in the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.

According to the NIA, the supplementary chargesheet has been filed against eight accused including Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, Sagar Gorkha, Ramesh Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap, Stan Swamy, and Milind Teltumbde.

The agency said that the chargesheet has been registered against the accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, under changes of making statements conducting to public mischief, waging war against the government, etc.

"This case arose out of a case regarding inciting people and giving provocative speeches during Elgar Parishad orgzed at Shwarwada, Pune by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch on December 31, 2017, which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life and property in Maharashtra," the NIA said in a statement.

It said that during the investigation, it was revealed that senior leaders of CPI (Maoist), a proscribed terrorist orgsation were in contact with the orgzers of Elgar Parishad and the accused to spread the ideology of Maoism, Naxalism and encourage unlawful activities.

The NIA mentioned that the Pune Police had earlier filed two chargesheets in this case on November 15, 2018, and February 21, 2019, against fifteen accused persons.

It said that the NIA took up the investigation of the case on January 24, 2020, and through a meticulous, scientific and detailed analysis of more than 10,000 pages of communications made by various accused, reliable oral, documentary and material evidence was brought on record.

The agency said that its investigation has revealed that the tentacles of the conspiracy were not only spread throughout the country but also extended beyond India.

"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 a part of their well chalked-out strategy," the statement said.

"It also included various documents regarding mobilisation against the constitutionally established government by the Maoist cadres, information about the movement of the security forces with an intention to cause heavy damage to the state. Discreet codes were used for secret communication amongst themselves to avoid detection by security forces regarding their conspiracy and planning," it added.

The NIA said that the investigation has also revealed a systematic network of Maoists operating for the supply of arms and ammunitions having close nexus with other banned proscribed orgsation within and outside India.

"NIA investigation revealed that the accused persons Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap and Stan Swamy conspired with other accused persons to further the ideology of terrorist orgsation CPI (Maoist) and abetted violence, brought into hatred and incited disaffection towards the government established by law and promoted enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, caste and community. The absconding accused Milind Teltumbde also orgsed training camps for imparting weapons training to other accused persons," it said.

It said that the role of various frontal orgzations of CPI (Maoist) has also emerged during the investigation and added that it has been established that the members of CPI (Maoist) were using these orgzations to further their agenda.

( With inputs from ANI )