Bhima Koregaon case: Dr Anand Teltumbde directed colleagues to run campaign against his implication, NIA charge sheet claims

Prior to the Supreme Court (SC) directing academician and activist Dr Anand Teltumbde to approach the Bombay high court (HC) for anticipatory bail in January 2018, he allegedly had asked his colleagues to run a campaign against his implication in the case. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating Teltumbde for his role in the Bhima Koregaon case mentioned Teltumbde’s plans in the charge sheet filed against him earlier this week.

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Teltumbde’s name in the probe surfaced during the initial probe by Pune Police. As his name emerged from various materials seized from the other accused, Teltumbde moved courts up to the Apex court, but received no order in his favour, first for quashing of the case and later for anticipatory bail. He finally had to surrender before the NIA in April this year.

However, in January 2019, when the SC asked Teltumbde to approach the HC afresh for anticipatory bail, he allegedly began garnering support from various groups, to stall his implication.

In a mail retrieved by forensic experts of the NIA, Teltumbde had addressed members of the Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), Maharashtra. The mail is part of the NIA charge sheet.

“You all know I have been out but now my days of freedom are coming to an end. I have been given four weeks to seek pre-arrest bail and as per the lawyers, it needs the backing of a visible campaign to be created in my support by a cross-section of people,” the mail stated.

It suggested that the members garner support for him by various means. “It may be a signature campaign, writing mails and letters to the president, prime minister, chief minister of Maharashtra, issuing statements, writing newspaper articles, etc,” Teltumbde suggested in his mail, adding that it needed to happen as soon as possible.

Teltumbde has been accused of being the key conspirator and key member of the CPI (Maoist) group. “Teltumbde is a senior member of CPI (Maoist) and is working in urban areas. He was the general secretary of CPDR and a member of Anuradha Ghandy Memorial Committee (AGMC), both front organisations of CPI (Maoist),” the charge sheet filed by NIA mentioned.

The agency claimed that his role in the Bhima Koregaon programme, which led to widespread violence in January 2018, was very much appreciated by the central committee of CPI (Maoist) and he was directed to keep the flame ablaze.