E-Paper
Anand Teltumbde questioned for 7 hours in Pune
The next session of questioning will be held on February 19 at ACP Shivaji Pawar's office
Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde who is facing arrest in the Elgar Parishad case for his alleged links with the banned Communist Party of India a Maoist organisation, appeared before investigating officer (IO) Shivaji Pawar, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of Swargate division on Thursday for his questioning as directed by the Bombay High Court. Teltumbde sat unfazed in Pawar’s office as he was being questioned for seven hours.
"The questioning went on for at least seven hours. I cannot comment on what happened during those hours," said ACP Pawar when asked about whether Teltumbde was co-operative. Teltumbde came to the Swargate division ACP office near Swargate bus stop at 10 am and left at 5.30 pm.
While speaking to the media representatives gathered outside the ACP's office, Teltumbde refused to comment and remained tight-lipped about the matter. The next session of questioning will be held on February 19 at ACP Pawar's office before the case is heard again in the Bombay High Court.
Teltumbde was granted interim relief by the Bombay High Court till February 22. The case of his interim relief will be heard in the Bombay High Court again on February 22.
His name appeared in the case of Elgar Parishad and the resultant violence in Pune and surrounding areas on December 31, 2017 and the first few days of 2018. The stringent Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) was invoked in the case. On February 2, the Pune police arrested Teltumbde from the Mumbai airport at 3 am. His arrest was deemed illegal by a sessions court since interim protection from arrest granted to him by the Supreme Court had not expired. He was later released.
