Two activists suspected to be naxals by ATS surrender near Vidhan Bhavan

Two cultural activists the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad suspects to have links with CPI (Maoists) surrendered at Nariman Point’s Inox junction near Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday afternoon. Sheetal Sathe and Sachin Mali refused to be identified as naxals when they courted arrest to the Marine Drive police. They insisted their gesture was a satyagraha (protest). “We are not naxals. The charges against us are false,” said Sathe.

Two cultural activists the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad suspects to have links with CPI (Maoists) surrendered at Nariman Point’s Inox junction near Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday afternoon. Sheetal Sathe and Sachin Mali refused to be identified as naxals when they courted arrest to the Marine Drive police. They insisted their gesture was a satyagraha (protest). “We are not naxals. The charges against us are false,” said Sathe.

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Social activist Anand Patvardhan and Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar accompanied the duo. Ambedkar pledged support to the activists. “They should be tried fairly in the court of law and we will provide them all legal support,” Ambedkar told media.

The Marine Drive police conducted a preliminary enquiry and handed them to ATS officials. A few of their supporters were distributing pamphlets near Vidhan Bhavan which stated that the cases registered against the couple, who hail from Pune, are fake and they would fight it legally.
Sheetal Sathe, 30, a postgraduate from Fergusson College, and her husband Sachin Mali, has been on the run ever since 2011 when the ATS arrested seven alleged Maoists.

According to the ATS, the two had links with alleged Maoists Angela Sontakke, Sushma Ramteke alias Shraddha Gurav, Nandini Bhagat alias Mayuri, Jyoti Chorge and Anuradha Sonule alias Aditi Kadam who were arrested from Thane, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra between April and May 2011, for spreading Maoist ideology.

The focus on this cultural group came after Angela’s arrest.
Rakesh Maria, additional director general of police (ATS), said, “They were wanted in the case registered in 2011 along with Angela Sontakke. We will produce them before a court on Wednesday, and seek their custoday.”