NIA arrests three accused in connection with Bhima Koregaon case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested accused Sagar Tatyaram Gorkhe, Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor and Jyoti Raghoba Jagtap in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case.

The accused persons are members of Kabir Kala Manch, a frontal organization of banned terrorist organization CPI (Maoist), the NIA said in a release.

The arrested accused were produced before the NIA Special Court at Mumbai on Tuesday and four days NIA custody was granted for interrogation, the release said.

NIA said it arrested Gorkhe (32), resident of Wakad in Pune and Gaichor (36), resident of Yervada, Pune on September 7 and Jagtap (33), resident of Kondwa, Pune the next day in connection with Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.

"This case arose out of Vishram Baug police station in Pune regarding inciting people and giving provocative speeches during Elgar Parishad organized at Shaniwarwada, 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 and state-wide agitation in Maharashtra," the release said

"During the 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," it added.

The release said Pune Police filed charge-sheet and a supplementary charge-sheet in this case on November 15, 2018, and February 21, 2019, respectively and Gorkhe, Gaichor and Jagtap are "FIR named accused persons".

NIA took up the investigation of the case on January 24, 2020 and arrested accused Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14, 2020. Another accused Hanybabu Musaliyavirtil Tarayil was arrested on July 28, 2020.

"During the 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 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 Manch members) in jungle, they underwent weapon and explosive training and awareness programme on various topics related to Maoist movement, the release said.

The NIA said it is also established that as per the evidence on record that in June 2018 absconding accused Milind Teltumbde discussed 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.

The arrested accused were produced before the NIA Special Court at Mumbai today and four days NIA custody was granted for interrogation.