BY ANAND SINGH
Former Delhi University Professor G.N. Saibaba was in touch with Indra Mohan Sigdel aka Comrade Basanta, the main leader of the United Communist Party of Nepal. Arrested accused Varavara Rao was assigned to deal with him for procuring arms and ammunition, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) claimed in its charge sheet in the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.
In the 10,000 page charge sheet filed by the agency in a Special NIA court in Mumbai on October 9, which has been viewed by IANS, the anti-terror probe agency alleged that in the digital data analysis of Saibaba’s electronic equipment, an incriminating document was found mentioning about Sigdel aka Comrade Basanta.
“One of the co-conspirators of the case Rona Wilson mentions about Basanta and states that Comrade Varavara Rao is the authority to deal with him for the procurement of arms and ammunitions viz. M4’s and 4,00,000 rounds for approximately Rs 8 crore with the possible help from Manipur Maoists,” the NIA claimed in its charge sheet.
The NIA in its charge sheet claimed that digital data seized from Saibaba contains a photograph of Wilson’s visit to the Abuj Maad forest area along with another co-accused Ritupan Goswamy aka Prakash, which shows their forest visit as well as their association which was confirmed by other evidence which came to the fore during investigation.
The NIA in its charge sheet also alleged that the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), Indian Association of Peoples Lawyer (IAPL), Anuradha Ghandy Memorial Committee (AGMC), Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee (PPSC), Committee for Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP), Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), Peoples Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) and several others were the frontal organisations for the CPI (Maoist).
Citing the role of former IIT professor Anand Teltumbde, the NIA alleged that he was the General Secretary of the CPDR and a member of AGMC.
Anand Teltumbde was arrested on April 14 this year by the NIA.
The NIA claimed that Anand Teltumbde was one of the convenors of the Elgar Parishad and Bhima Koregaon Shauryadin Prerna Abhiyan programme and was present at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31, 2017.
It alleged, “Anand Teltumbde in order to attend the Elgar Parishad programme, travelled from Goa to Pune on December 30, 2017 and was present at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31.”
The NIA claimed that Anand Teltumbde, in order to further the activities of the CPI (Maoist) at the international level, used to attend international conferences under the guise of his academic visits to Canada, Pakistan, US, France etc.
“In the said conferences, he used to exchange literature on ideology, training and working strategy of CPI (Maoist) with international communist organisations,” it said.
The NIA also alleged that Anand Teltumbde in his capacity as General Secretary CPDR, made efforts for the release of Murugan, a CPI (Maoist) leader, who was lodged in a jail in Tamil Nadu as well as for the release of Saibaba.
The NIA also claimed that Anand Teltumbde, who was associated with the Goa Institute of Management in Goa, was also instrumental in organising fact-finding committee missions on the directions of the CPI (Maoist).
An NIA official linked to the probe told IANS, during investigation it was revealed that Anand Teltumbde’s role in connection with Bhima Koregaon was appreciated by the Central Committee of the CPI (Maoist) and there is evidence on record that a direction was given to him to keep the “fire ablaze”.
“In one of the communications on January 2, 2018, absconding accused Milind Teltumbde (Anand’s brother) appreciated the Bhima Koregaon agitation being very effective and also directed Wilson to exploit the death of youth and to prepare future agitations and propaganda,” the NIA claimed in its charge sheet.
“Anand Teltumbde used to attend international conferences under the guise of his academic visits abroad viz Philippines, Peru, Turkey, and other countries and used to bring Maoist literature and videos (in pen drive/memory cards) related to their ideology, tactics, weapons used by them, period of attacks, planning of sudden attacks in spite of routine Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign during Naxal weeks, extension of zones and increasing members of recruitment for CPI (Maoist) organisation,” the NIA claimed.
Citing statements of witnesses, the NIA claimed that Milind Teltumbde visited various cities, including Pune, Chandrapur, Bhopal and Indore, and would meet Anand Teltumbde for taking guidance to advance the movement of the CPI (Maoist) in the jungles as well as urban areas.
Besides Anand Teltumbde, the NIA filed the supplementary charge sheet in a special NIA court in Mumbai against seven accused — Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap, Milind Teltumbde and Stan Swamy — under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The NIA had registered a case on January 24 this year.
The case pertains to inciting people and giving provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad organised by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31, 2017, which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life and property and statewide agitations in Maharashtra.
(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)
