This case has pitted two sections of the society against each other, with one calling them activists who have been wronged by government machinery and the other labelling them as "urban Naxals".
Months after booking them for their alleged links with Maoists, the Pune police have pressed sedition charges against Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, and Gautam Navlakha, saying their activities posed danger to the unity of the country.
The assertion was made when the cops presented Varavara Rao, 78, who was arrested from his Hyderabad home on Saturday, before District and Sessions Judge Kishor Vadane in Pune on Sunday. The court remanded Rao in police custody till November 26.
The charge of sedition or waging war against the country is governed by Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code and carries a maximum punishment of life sentence. This case has pitted two sections of the society against each other, with one calling them activists who have been wronged by government machinery and the other labelling them as "urban Naxals".
"This is not a crime like murder or economic scam, but it is a crime of larger conspiracy due to which the unity and integrity of India is in danger. This is the reason, the police have added section 124 A in this case," said District Government Pleader Ujjwala Pawar.
The five came under the scanner after the police began probing alleged Naxal ties of Elgaar Parishad, a conclave, in Pune on December 31 last year. The Parishad followed clashes in Bhima-Koregaon that left on dead on January 1.
Calling Rao as the main accused having an active role in Maoist activities, Pawar said, "He was not only closely connected with the top underground Maoists but he himself is active member of CPI (Maoists)."
She added, "He had the responsibility of managing funds of Maoists, procuring arms and ammunition and chalking out strategies for Maoists."
The government pleader said some of the seized documents from the other accused show Rao's role in procuring arms and ammunition through Nepal and Manipur. "The police have also intercepted email communication between Rao and top fugitive Maoist leader Ganapathi where Ganapathi had expressed concerns about the recent arrests and had asked Rao to find out how the arrested persons' communication got leaked to the police."
In a multi-city raid on August 28, the Pune police had arrested the five 'urban Naxals'. While the cops were restrained from taking them into custody immediately, the top court later asked the accused to approach the lower court for relief. This eventually paved way for their arrest.
Probing the alleged Naxal ties of Elgaar Parishad, the cops had arrested Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale in June. Later, they said the investigation had also thrown up the names of Rao, Bharadwaj, Gonsalves, Ferreira and Navlakha. The FIR in the case now has 22 names and all of them have been booked for sedition.
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