Police slapped 45 Naxal cases on him resulting in nine years of imprisonment, but different courts in Nagpur, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts acquitted him of all the charges.
Now, working as a vendor at a small tea shop in Nagpur, Police want Ganpath Kudmethe to “surrender” which will be tantamount to an acceptance on the part Mr. Kudmethe that he was related to the Naxal movement.
Ganpath Kudmethe, a resident of Karancha village in Gadchiroli district, was first arrested in 2004 and was slapped with over 30 cases related to Naxal violence and was charged under section 302 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code(IPC) and 3/25 of the Indian Arms Act.
Acquitted in all the cases and released from jail in December last year, Mr. Ganpath claimed that a team of Gadchiroli police approached him last week and asked him to surrender before Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP).
“Jimalgatta Police Sub Inspector (PSI) Mr. Munjawar and C-60 (the special anti Naxal unit of Maharashtra police) commander Madhukar Mattami met me last week and asked me to surrender before Gadchiroli SP” Mr. Ganpath Kudmethe told The Hindu .
“They (the police) also threatened my nephew Santosh in Govindgaon village. They even threatened my family members to pressurize me to surrender. I have been living a simple life here and I am happy with it. I was not involved in any kind of Naxal activities which were established in courts then why should I surrender?” asked Mr. Kudmethe.
Mr. Ganpath is known as Vishvnath Kudmethe in police records.
Gadchiroli Police PRO Dharmendra Joshi refused to comment on the issue saying only the SP can comment in this matter.
Gadchiroli SP Mohammad Suvej Haque could not be reached for his reaction as his phone was switched off.
