Bhima Koregaon violence case: Varavara Rao arrested by Pune Police, taken into custody

After weeks of being under house arrest, Varavara Rao was arrested by the Pune police on Saturday, November 17. Varavara Rao who is among the five accused in Bhima Koregaon violence case & alleged plot to attack PM Narendra Modi, was arrested from his residence in Hyderabad. 

The Police has taken Rao in custody and is bringing him to Pune, Maharashtra after the Hyderabad High Court dismissed his petition for transit remand on Friday.

Speaking to ANI, Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune said, ‘Varavara Rao's house arrest extension given by Hyderabad High Court ends today & in addition to that, his another petition before court is also disposed of by Hyderabad Court. Hence, he is arrested by Pune Police & will be produced before Pune Court.’

Earlier on Thursday, the Pune Police had filed a charge sheet against ten people, including five arrested activists- Roma Wilson, Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling and five absconding accused. 

READ: 'Kill PM Plot' Of Urban Naxals Confirmed In Pune Police's Chargesheet

The police, in its charge sheet, had alleged that the "entire campaigning for Elgaar Parishad and speeches delivered at Elgaar Parishad has aggravated the Bhima Koregaon violence." The charge sheet further stated that a letter recovered from one of the arrested accused revealed that a conspiracy was being framed to plan a Rajiv Gandhi like assassination to take down Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The five activists were detained on August 28 and later put under house arrest for their alleged involvement in the violence that erupted in Maharashtra's Pune district in January this year during an event organised to mark 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle. 

READ: Pune Police Names Jignesh Mevani And Umar Khalid Citing 'inflammatory Speeches' In Bhima Koregaon Violence Affidavit

Earlier this month, in an affidavit filed in front of the judiciary commission, the cops had also named Jignesh Mewani, Umar Khalid, Sudhir Dhawale and members of Kabir Kala Manchas in the documents, accusing them of giving out hate speeches before the Bhima-Koregaon violence took place.