NIA wants to use witness statements from Elgar Parishad in Gadchiroli blast case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that Rona Wilson, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, met with an accused who is wanted in the deaths of 15 police personnel in the Jamburkheda blast in Gadchiroli.
Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that Rona Wilson, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, met with an accused who is wanted in the deaths of 15 police personnel in the Jamburkheda blast in Gadchiroli. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast had gone off in May 2019, and Bhupti (alias Sona/Abhay) who Wilson reportedly met, is one of the main accused but remains absconding.

The NIA, which is probing both Elgar Parishad as well as the Gadchiroli blast cases, relied on statements of certain protected witnesses offering “proof and relevance” to make the connection between the two cases. It is, however, unclear what role, if any, was played by Elgar Parishad accused in the blast case.
Last week, the special NIA court allowed the investigation agency to add statements of two former members of CPI (Maoist), referred as KW 2 and KW 3 in order to protect their identities, while hearing the Gadchiroli blast matter. KW 2 and KW 3’s statements were originally recorded by the NIA in the Elghar Parishad case and are part of the chargesheets already filed before the court.
The NIA plea contended that the certified copies of the statements of the protected witnesses are being used by the prosecution as additional evidence in 2019 Gadchiroli blast case.
Also read: Elgar Parishad case accused Jyoti Jagtap moves HC for bail
“It is further humbly submitted that the prosecution is required to bring the said evidence in the present case which has proof and relevance in respect of the present case [Gadchiroli blast], as such it is just and necessary to bring the same on record, in support of prosecution evidence,” the plea maintained.
On May 1, 2019, an IED blast resulted in the deaths of 15 police personnel of a Quick Response Team (QRT) near Jambhurkheda in Gadchiroli. The team was on its way to the area’s police station to investigate a case of arson in which 36 private vehicles were set ablaze. All passengers in the police vehicle, including its civilian driver, died in the blast.
On the other hand, the Elgar Parishad accused are under NIA investigation for fomenting violence that followed the commemoration of the 200-year battle of Koregaon Bhima, on December 31, 2017. Sixteen social activists have been arrested on charges of sedition, attempting to overthrow the government, and under provisions of the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (UAPA).
The two witnesses, KW2 and KW3, whose statements the NIA has sought to add as evidence to Gadchiroli blast case, were part of local dalams (armed squads) who were in touch with senior cadres of the banned party, the NIA said.
The first witness KW 2 worked in Korchi-Kobramendha forest area between 2012 and 2016. They are cited as a common witness in both the cases. They reportedly told the NIA in a statement recorded on August 10, 2020, that Elgar Parishad accused Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe had met Milind Teltumbde, brother of Dalit scholar and author Anand Teltumbde (an Elgar Parishad case accused), as well as divisional committee member Arun Bhelke. Milind Teltumbde was among 26 Maoists killed in an encounter in Gadchiroli in November 2021. Bhelke, a member of the banned outfit is in jail. The alleged meeting between Gaichor, Gorkhe and Milind Teltumbde is said to have taken place in August or September of 2012, the witness reportedly said.
KW2 also reportedly claimed to have met Wilson, an accused in Elgar Parishad case, when the latter visited Abuj Naad jungle in the district. Wilson reportedly met senior members of the party, including Milind Teltumbde and nine other armed Naxals camping in the area.
“Rona Wilson along with one person, a certain Kumar, aged about 40 years came there to meet Sona Alias Bhupti alias Abhay, who was also camping in Abuj Naad area. Rona and that person stayed in Naad jungle for 10 days,” read the statement of KW2.
The NIA has listed Bhupti (alias Abhay) as wanted in the Gadhchiroli blast case.
Wilson’s lawyer R Sathyanarayan told Hindustan Times: “Even if the statement is taken at face value it is not sufficient to pass on the liability.”
The second witness, listed as KW3, reportedly told the agency that Bhupti, a politburo member of the banned outfit, was active in the western region with two other Gadchiroli blast accused, Nirmala Uppaganti (who died in prison in April) and her husband, Satyanarayana.
The second witness was reportedly closely connected to Milind Teltumbde, and described the working of the party, its members and the hierarchy, in great detail, said the NIA.
Also read: Elgar Parishad case: HC concludes hearing of Hany Babu’s bail plea
In addition, KW 3 also told NIA that Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap, and Ghorkhe – all accused in the Elgar Parishad case -- were part of an urban Naxal group and had joined the Korchi Area Committee that was set up to understand local topology. KW3 claimed the three, who are anti-caste activists belonging to Kabir Kala Manch, held meetings with Milind Teltumbde as well as Wilson in the forests.
Senior counsel Mihir Desai who appeared for Gorkhe and Gaichor said, “As per the instructions given to me by the clients, they were members of Kabir Kala Manch but were never part of any party or any violent activities like blasts.”
Gadchiroli blast accused Satyanarayana objected to NIA’s plea to adduce these witness statements, stating that “the prosecution cannot file such evidence at such a belated stage especially when the matter is kept for framing of charges.” He also claimed that the prosecution failed to follow the correct procedure under the law.

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