The cops says Bharadwaj was the vice president of the Indian Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL), while Ferreira was its treasurer
Activist Sudha Bharadwaj was linked with four front organisations of the banned CPI (Maoist), the Pune police told the Bombay High Court on Thursday as it opposed her bail petition along with that of Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves. The trio is among the many people who have been arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon violence, also known as the 'Urban Naxal' case.
The cops said Bharadwaj was the vice president of the Indian Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL), while Ferreira was its treasurer. Additional Public Prosecutor Aruna Pai said IAPL, CRPP (Committee for Release of Persecuted Prisoners), AGM (Anuradha Gandhi Memorial) and PPSC (Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee) are all front organisations of Maoists.
"The documents, material seized show that Bharadwaj is a member of the banned organisation (CPI - Maoist), vice president of frontal organizations IAPL and CRPP and one of the convenors of PPSC. Other material shows she was seeking or raising funds for these activities. She was active in the recruitment of cadres also," Pai told Justice Sarang Kotwal.
The police said Ferreira was involved in 12 cases and faced charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Ferreira's lawyer clarified that he had been acquitted in them all. Pai told the judge further, "Ferreira was the treasurer of IAPL and a member of AGM, both frontal organisations."
As IAPL treasurer, Pai argued, Ferreira had received Rs 2 lakh from Maoists. She countered Ferreira's claim that the 'Arun' mentioned in letters recovered from the accused was not him, saying call data records had shown Ferreira's presence at locations in Hyderbad and Tamil Nadu on the dates mentioned in the seized letters. Programmes of the front organisations were held at those places on those particular dates, she said.
Opposing the bail plea of Gonsalves, the Pune police said he possessed a book on Shridhar Shrinivasan, who was convicted under UAPA, and also a booklet of an 'underground front organisation' (of the CPI - Maoist) – Adivasi Kisan Mahila Sangathan.
The names of Bharadwaj, Ferreira and Gonsalves cropped up after the Pune cops set out to probe the violence at Bhima-Koregaon on January 1, 2018, that had left one dead and scores injured. It was allegedly triggered by a conclave – called the Elgar Parishad – in Pune the previous day. The police said the Parishad was funded by Maoists.
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