The evidence found by the Pune police against the five activists arrested on Tuesday indicates that they were conspiring against the government, long before the Elgar Parishad was held.
“The evidence found pointed to the involvement of the Kabir Kala Manch and the accused in the mobilisation of funds provided by the CPI (Maoist) for inciting the masses against the administration long before the Elgar Parishad was held,” Pune police spokesperson Shirish Sardeshmane said.
The police on Tuesday arrested poet Varavara Rao and activists Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha.
The police said their involvement in ‘urban naxal’ activities came to light during the interrogation of and investigation against five other activists arrested in June.
Mr. Sardeshmane said the analysis of the documents seized from the electronic devices “reveals” the conspiracy hatched by the CPI (Maoist) to form an “anti-fascist front” in order to overthrow the government established by the law, and efforts were made to establish the front through the Elgar Parishad organised on December 31, 2017.
The police have charged the accused under IPC Section 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 505 (1)(b) (Making statement with intent to cause alarm among the public or inducing person to commit acts against the state or public tranquillity), 117 (Abetting commission of offence by public) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), besides provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Apart from the arrests, the police also raided the school-cum-residential premises of social activist Father Stan Swamy in Ranchi and the house of lawyer Susan Abraham in Mumbai on Tuesday.
