2013 Gadchiroli top cop's report linked Bhima activist with Maoists

MUMBAI: Activist Mahesh Sitaram Raut, arrested this month for alleged links with Maoists, was in 2013 investigated by Gadchiroli police for associating with the banned outfit and opposing mining projects in tribal areas. Raut was among five persons arrested by Pune police on June 6 for their alleged role in organising the Elgaar Parishad a day before the violent January 1 clashes in Bhima-Koregaon and booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
"On the instructions of naxal leaders, he asked the villagers to oppose construction of police station in remote areas, Surjagad project and developmental projects. We are conducting an in-depth inquiry against him,''the then Gadchiroli SP, Suvez Haq, said in a three-page report to the state home department. He submitted the report after then Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, on June 28, 2013 wrote to the then CM, Prithviraj Chavan, over the manner in which Raut, a Prime Minister's Rural Develoment Fellow posted in Gadchiroli, was being treated. Subsequently, Chavan sought a response from the Gadchiroli SP.

In his report, Suvez Haq narrated the activities involving Raut. "When we arrested a few naxalites in a house, Raut was occupying a house close by it. On one occasion, he was found in possession of naxal literature and compact discs. When he was taken to a police outpost, he was identified by two naxalites, who were arrested. The arrested naxalites told the police that Raut used to visit naxal dalam and were planning to meet naxal leader Narmada Akka,'' the report said.

Ramesh, in his letter, had defended Mahesh while acknowledging his presence in a remote village on June 20, 2013 when a police team raided and took into custody two suspected Maoists. "I independently inquired into the allegations through reliable sources. I understand that Mahesh was working successfully with the district administration in helping the poor to access government programmes... As part of his work, he has been visiting remote villages unfrequented by officials and staying there to interact with the villagers,'' Ramesh said.

Apart from Ramesh, 80 former fellows of the Prime Minister's Rural Development programme have now come out in support of Raut, who has a Masters in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

In his report, the Gadchiroli SP said that on the basis of intelligence reports, a high level probe against Raut was necessary. "It was found that Raut and his colleague, Harshali, did meet naxal leaders and had visited a village, where Narmada Akka was staying, however, the meeting could not take place. At a public hearing on May 8, 2013, both Raut and Harshali, had opposed mining project in Aheri tehsil. Prima facie, it appears that they were working against government projects and schemes,'' he said.

While Suvez Haq had sent his report to the DGP, State Intelligence Commissioner, Additional DG (anti-naxalites operations) and DIG (Gadchiroli), it was ignored.