HC rejects bail pleas of three in Naxal funding case

The Bombay High Court has rejected the bail pleas of three members of radical music group Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), arrested for their alleged role in supporting and funding Naxal activities in the state.
Justice A R Joshi on April 11 rejected the bail applications of Sachin Mali, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor.
The trio was arrested along with another member Sheetal Sathe in April last year after they courted arrest outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
They were booked under the stringent provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code including criminal conspiracy.

A case was registered in 2011 against 15 persons including KKM members for alleged involvement with the banned organisation Communist Party of India (Maoist). While seven persons were arrested in 2010, Mali, Gorkhe, Gaichor and others were declared absconding accused.
According to the trio, they are cultural activists who take up social causes like poverty, corruption, superstition, gender discrimination and so on.
The High Court, however, refused to accept their contention and refused to release them on bail.