Navlakha follows CPI(M) honcho Yechury; to reside in party’s Belapur office

Navi Mumbai: Civil rights activist, Gautam Navlakha – an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case – will spend his house arrest in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPI(M) – office building at Belapur

Navi Mumbai: Civil rights activist, Gautam Navlakha – an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case – will spend his house arrest in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPI(M) – office building at Belapur. The development came after the Supreme Court, on Friday, rejected National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) plea to recall its order allowing the house arrest of Navlakha.

The compound of the building has two iron gates. One of them leads to the 41-square-foot hall on the first floor. It has been locked by the NIA to prevent access to the room, said sources. CCTV cameras have also been installed in the building. (HT PHOTO)

The one-storey building – Comrade B T Ranadive Smruti Trust – is located inside Agroli village. The first-floor room where Navlakha will reside has been used over the years by top CPI(M) leaders like Sitaram Yechury.

The compound of the building has two iron gates. One of them leads to the 41-square-foot hall on the first floor. It has been locked by the NIA to prevent access to the room, said sources. CCTV cameras have also been installed in the building.

The other smaller iron gate of the compound leads to the wooden door entrance of Comrade B T Ranadive Smarak Granthalay – a library run by the trust on the ground floor. The library has a back door which has been shut as well.

A regular reader at the library said, “It does not just have the leftist literature but also historical books. If you want to know Navi Mumbai’s history, this is the best place to source it.”

The reader added that around 30 to 50 people visit the library daily.

Apart from sealing access to the first floor and installing CCTV cameras, the name of the building painted on it has also been covered with tarpaulin.

Personnel at the library said they have no knowledge or why Navlakha chose to stay there.