Have proof of activists’ armed bid to topple Govt: Maha ADG

Under severe criticism from various quarters against the crackdown on prominent activists with alleged Maoist links early this week, Maharashtra’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Param Bir Singh on Friday claimed the Pune Police have strong evidence to prove that the five recently arrested activists, including Varavara Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj,  have links with the outlawed CPI(Maoists).

Addressing a news conference in Mumbai, the ADG said there is a big conspiracy to “overthrow the lawfully established” Indian Government using arms procured from countries like China and Russia, and the five arrested accused were helping the outlawed CPI (Maoists) to take “their goal forward”.

The ADG said the police have seized “thousands of letters” exchanged between the over-ground and the underground Maoists. An email letter exchanged between Rona Wilson and a CPI(Maoist) leader spoke about the need for ending “Modi-raj” with a “Rajiv Gandhi-type incident”.

“When we were confident that clear links have been established, only then we moved to take action against these people, in different cities... Evidence clearly establishes their links with Maoists,” the ADG said.

“Investigations revealed that a big conspiracy was being plotted by Maoist organisations. The accused were helping them to take their goals forward. A terrorist organisation was also involved,” the State Additional DGP said.

Apart from Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj, three other activists ---Gautam Navlakha,  Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira - were arrested by the Pune Police from different parts of the country on August 28 for their association with the Elgaar Parishad held in Pune ahead of the January 1, 2018 Bhima-Koregaon riots and their alleged links with the Maoists.

However, the Supreme Court ordered that the five arrested activists be placed under house arrest till September 6.

Earlier on June 6, the Pune Police had arrested five persons -- Surendra Gadling, Prof Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale and Mahesh Raut -- in the same case.

Alluding to the role of Varavara Rao, Singh said, “Rs 8 crore was required for arms procurement. Varavara Rao was authorised to speak to Arms dealers of Nepal. Procurement of Russian and Chinese arms was discussed.”

Reading out letters purportedly by a few of the arrested activists, Singh claimed that the group had international links and that it had conducted its meetings in Paris and other places.  He also cited a couple of catalogues of deadly weapons, allegedly sent by Rona Wilson to Comrade Prakash with mention of ‘VV’ (allegedly Vara Vara Rao) as procurer.  The catalogues dwelt with a Russian GM-94 grenades launcher and Chinese ULZ87 automatic grenade launcher.

Quoting a letter written by Rona to Maoist leader ‘Comrade Prakash’, the Additional DGP said,  “We have received your last letter regarding current situation here. Arun (Ferreira), Vernon (Gonsalves) and others are equally concerned about the urban front struggle. ....The letter also spoke of requirement of Rs 8 crore for annual supply of grenade launcher with four lakh rounds.”

According to Singh, the letter asked Prakash to convey his decision “Comrade Kisan and a few other comrades have proposed concrete steps to end Modi raj. We are thinking along the lines of another Rajiv Gandhi (assassination)-like incident.”

 Singh disclosed that the arrested activists were in touch with separatist and extremist groups from Jammu & Kashmir and Manipur, wanted to emulate stone-pelting protests akin to Kashmir in other parts of India including urban areas and conducting meetings abroad with other groups in a bid to organise funds.

 The Additional DGP also read out a letter allegedly written by Sudha Bharadwaj to “Comrade Prakash” seeking funds to send JNU and TISS students for training in forest areas, and another letter dated July 30, 2017, allegedly written by central committee member Sudarshan to Gautam Navlakha, which among other things stated that ‘we need to fight against fascist forces’.

 Singh’s revelations were more of an elaboration of the “disclosure” made on Wednesday by Pune’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shirish Sardeshpande who had claimed that the five arrested activists including Varavara Rao and  Sudha Bharadwaj, were part of a  “larger conspiracy” hatched by the banned CPI (Maoist) to “overthrow” the lawfully established Government and “target” the country’s highest political functionary (read Prime Minister Narendra Modi).

 “The analysis of the seized documents from electronic devices clearly reveals the conspiracy hatched by the CPI (Maoist) to form an all India united front (as per strategy of the banned organisation) i.e anti-facist front (according to resolutions passed by the Eastern Regional Bureau which is an underground formation) in order to overthrow the Government established by the law,”  Sardeshpande said, while reading out from a prepared statement in English and Marathi.

 “The evidence collectively points to the deliberate involvement and major role played by Varavara Rao, Arun Periera, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha in the larger conspiracy hatched by the banned organisation CPI (Maoist),”  Sardeshpande had  said in a statement.

“The evidence also involves other details like provision of funds, responsibilities given to the urban naxals in radicalising the youth and students, provision of arms and other details trailing back from the comrades of Central Committee of CPI (Maoist). Also they are actively and deliberately involved in the unlawful activities which lead to the violence and killings of large number of security personnel and innocent civilians,” Sardeshpande had said.

The arrests of ten persons - in two batches on June 6 and August 28 --  were made as part of the investigations into the FIR registered on  January 8 at the Pune’s Vishram Baug Police Station in connection with the Elgar Parishad organised on December 31, 2017 by the Leftist outfit Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) and Republican Panthers Party ahead of the January 1, 2018 Bhima-Koregaon riots. The FIR, originally registered u/s 153(A), 505 (1)(b), 117 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), was made a conspiracy case in March 2018 and now has sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) added to it.

 Among other things, the letter stated, “Modi-led Hindu fascist regime is bulldozing its way into the lives of indigenous adivasis, in spite of big defeats like Bihar and West Bengal. Modi has successfully established BJP govt in more than 15 States. If this pace continues then it would mean immense trouble for the party on all fronts. Greater suppression of dissent and more brutal form of Mission 2016 (OGH). Com. Kisan and few other comrades have proposed concrete steps to end Modi-raj”.

 “Defeating Hindu fascism has been our core agenda and a major concern for the party.... We are trying to consolidate ties with like-minded organisations, pol. parties, representatives of minorities across the country,” the letter stated.

 It may be recalled that on January 1, one Rahul Phatangale (28), a Dalit, was killed and another 40-odd vehicles and some other property were damaged after some miscreants attacked Dalits celebrating the January 1, 1818 victory of British troops over Peshwa Bajirao II’s army at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district of western Maharashtra. Following the incident, Maharashtra had witnessed large-scale Dalit protests which turned violent at some places.