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Varavara Rao wanted to procure arms to create unrest in country: prosecution
Seeking police custody of Rao for 14 days, government district pleader Ujjwala Pawar told the court that investigation revealed that Rao has a direct “nexus” with senior underground Maoist leaders
Maoist ideologue and Telugu writer Vara Vara Rao wanted to procure arms to create unrest in the country, prosecution told a Pune sessions court on Sunday, seeking custody of the revolutionary poet. Judge K D Vadane remanded Rao in police custody till November 26.
After arresting him on Saturday evening from his residence in Hyderabad, the Pune police produced Rao in court on Sunday amid tight security. Seeking police custody of Rao for 14 days, government district pleader Ujjwala Pawar told the court that the investigation has revealed that Rao has a direct “nexus” with the top underground Maoist leaders and he was directly involved in various Maoist activities; from “smuggling arms and ammunition from Nepal and Manipur”, to “recruiting students for the Naxal activities” and aiding “urban naxal movements”.
Rao along with four others was earlier arrested by police on August 28 after which the Supreme Court put him under house arrest. It was only after the high court refused to grant him further relief that Rao was taken into custody by the Pune Police on November 18.
The prosecution told the court that Rao wanted to procure arms from Nepal and Manipur and was in touch with top Maoist leader Ganpathy. The government pleader while arguing before the court said that the police intercepted an email communication between Rao and top Ganpathy in which the latter while expressing concerns after the first five arrests, had asked Rao how these letters were leaked to the authorities.
Prosecution said Rao’s custody is important as the police want to find Ganpathy, who is accused in multiple cases.
“The investigators want to probe his role in mobilising Dalits through the December 31, 2017, Elgar Parishad and inciting them against the government,” Pawar told court.
“The naxal attack in Surajgarh in Gadchiroli took place at the directions of Advocate Surendra Gadling and Rao and the said incident got nationwide publicity,” the prosecution said, adding that Rao made the funding available for conducting various attacks. “His role in terrorist activities in Usur, Pamed and Bheji has been revealed during the investigation,” Pawar said.
Defence questions police proof
Advocate Rohan Nahar, who appeared for Vara Vara Rao told the court that writer has been falsely arrested and was under house arrest which is considered judicial custody. Nahar said there is no proof against Rao as police are saying that on one hand there was a coded communication and on the other hand that Rao sent an email to Ganpathy, which was contradictory.
“Proof submitted by the police is untrustworthy. Why were former Justice P B Sawant and Justice B G Kolse Patil not investigated in the case even though they were organisers of the Elgar Parishad,” Nahar asked.
