Bhima Koregaon case: NIA custody of 3 Kabir Kala Manch members extended till September 19

On Friday, a special NIA court in Mumbai extended the NIA custody of Kabir Kala Manch members Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap until September 19. While Gorkhe and Gaichor were arrested on September 7, Jagtap was taken into custody on the next day. Accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, they have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA. The NIA has alleged that Kabir Kala Manch is a frontal organization of the banned terror organization CPI (Maoist).

According to the agency, the aforesaid persons were propagating Maoist ideology and were co-conspirators with the other accused. It added that Gorkhe, Gaichor and Jagtap were in contact with accused Milind Teltumbde about the urban network of CPI (Maoist). Moreover, it claimed that these Kabir Kala Manch members underwent weapons and explosive training during their visits to the jungle. The NIA stated that it has evidence of Milind Teltumbde discussing about the Elgar Parishad function and the subsequent inroads made by CPI (Maoist) in June 2018. 

Read: Requested NIA To Arrange Video Conference For Questioning In Bhima Koregaon Case: IISER Prof

Read: Bhima Koregaon Case Accused Sudha Bharadwaj Denied Bail By Bombay HC

The Bhima Koregaon case

Violence had erupted at Koregaon-Bhima village in Pune district on January 1, 2018, where supporters had gathered to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. This resulted in the death of one person and leaving several injured. Subsequently, the Pune police arrested activists such as Sudha Bharadwaj, Shoma Sen, Arun Ferreira, and Vernon Gonsalves, Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale and P Varavara Rao for allegedly inciting the Bhima Koregoan violence through their speech at the Elgar Parishad meeting on December 31, 2017. 

The charges filed by the police include 'conspiracy to assassinate PM Narendra Modi', 'overthrow the government', 'waging war against the Government of India' under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Also, it has been alleged that some of the arrested individuals are active members of the banned CPI (Maoists) party. In January 2020, the case was transferred to the NIA. Following the Supreme Court's order, activists Anand Teltumbe and Gautam Navlakha surrendered on April 14, 2020, in connection with this case. Recently, the NIA also arrested Delhi University Associate Professor Hany Babu. 

Read: Have No Connection With Bhima Koregaon Case, NIA Trying To Harass Me: IISER Prof

(Image credits: PTI)