Dr Anand Teltumbde writing suspicious content in letters: NIA affidavit in HC

Justifying the restrictions put on Elgar Parishad accused Dr Anand Teltumbde, who is lodged in Taloja jail, from sending and receiving certain letters, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its affidavit before the Bombay high court stated that Dr Teltumbde has been addressing people and magazines, which could have an impact on the trial.

Justifying the restrictions put on Elgar Parishad accused Dr Anand Teltumbde, who is lodged in Taloja jail, from sending and receiving certain letters, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its affidavit before the Bombay high court stated that Dr Teltumbde has been addressing people and magazines, which could have an impact on the trial.

The affidavit states that as the Prison Rules do not permit objectionable, cryptic or suspicious content being written or received through letters, with the exception of letters written to and by the family and lawyers of Dr Teltumbde, all other letters are restricted and hence the petition by Rama Teltumbde, wife of the accused, is without grounds and should be dismissed.

The affidavit states that as the Prison Rules do not permit objectionable, cryptic or suspicious content being written or received through letters, with the exception of letters written to and by the family and lawyers of Dr Teltumbde, all other letters are restricted and hence the petition by Rama Teltumbde, wife of the accused, is without grounds and should be dismissed.

Rama Teltumbde has filed a petition in the HC seeking an inquiry into the alleged embargo on her activist husband by the superintendent of Taloja jail from writing letters to his spouse and lawyers. Susan Gonsalves, the wife of another activist Vernon Gonsalves, who is also lodged in Taloja jail, has also filed a similar petition alleging that the letters by him are either withheld or are being posted belatedly. The petitions are being heard by a division bench of justice Nitin Jamdar and justice Sarang Kotwal.

The affidavit by NIA filed by additional SP Anil Kumar Nair stated that the contentions of the petitioners that the communication and letters were completely stopped was ‘untrue and misleading’ as the accused could send and receive letters to family members, subject to their scrutiny. The affidavit further stated that as the petition was not filed by the accused themselves, the rights of the petitioners were not violated and hence the petition was not maintainable.

The NIA affidavit further stated that Dr Teltumbde had written letters to a person called Mr Riyaz which contained allegations regarding hatching of conspiracy in connection with Elgar Parishad and the same had resulted in an article which alleged that letters were planted in the computer of another accused Rona Wilson. “The petitioner wants the husband of the petitioner to pass off prohibited material in the nature of the letter,” the affidavit states.

The affidavit stated that after repeated requests by the jail authorities to the accused to desist from indulging in restricted activities, the superintendent of the jail had exercised his powers mentioned in the Prison Rules to withhold the incoming and outgoing of letters with objectionable, cryptic or suspicious contents.

Seeking dismissal of the petitions, the affidavit stated, “The letters with such objectionable, cryptic or suspicious contents are only withheld and not all the communications made by the petitioner. It is further pertinent to note that letter communication with the family members and the advocates is also allowed and the petitioner is writing letters to the advocate and his family members. Hence the present petition be dismissed with cost.”