HC rejects discharge plea of suspected Naxal leader Satyanarayana Rani

Bombay HC rejects plea of Satyanarayana Rani, alleged husband of Naxalite leader, in connection with 2019 IED blast; granted bail in 2022.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday dismissed a plea filed by 73-year-old Satyanarayana Rani, purported husband of dreaded Naxalite leader Narmadakka seeking discharge from the case registered in connection with the May 2019 improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Gadchiroli district that killed 15 members of the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Maharashtra police and the driver of their vehicle.

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Rani, apprehended in June 2019 from Hyderabad, faces multiple charges, including those under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the Explosive Substances Act. He was granted bail in July 2022 by the high court.

Rani’s plea sought discharge from the case, claiming a lack of evidence against him. His counsel, advocate Yug Mohit Chaudhry, argued that Rani was not mentioned in any of the chargesheets or witness statements and contended that the prosecution improperly introduced additional documents.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the case in June 2019, alleges Rani’s involvement in the conspiracy behind the IED blast. The prosecution claims that Rani, also known by the alias ‘Kiran,’ attended a conspiracy meeting in July 2018 aimed at avenging the April 2018 Kasnasur-Boriya encounter, in which 40 Naxals were killed.

Advocate Aruna Pai, representing the NIA, emphasised the seriousness of the charges and the timeline of events, pointing out that the application for bringing additional documents on record was made before Rani was granted bail.