Pune: Public prosecutor Ujjw-ala Pawar, while opposing bail of the five activists arrested over alleged links to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), all-eged that the banned party’s leadership had written to poet Varavara Rao, one of the activists. Besides, there are letters written by the leaders of the banned party and arrested activists Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Mr Rao,” she argued.
Ms Pawar today argued against bail application of Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Mr Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Ms Bharadwaj. The Pune police arrested the five activists on June 6 during the probe into the Bhima-Koregaon riots. On that day it arrested Ms Sen, Mr Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale.
On August 8, the Pune police arrested other five activists Mr Rao, Mr Ferreira, Mr Gonsalves, Ms Bhardaj and Gautam Navlakha over the same allegations.
Ms Pawar at the special court of judge K.D. Vadane said, “After arrests of five activists in June, the central committee leadership had a written letter to Vara-vara Rao asking him to find out who was arrested. And Rao sent letters to other comrades asking the same. This information got leaked, leading to arrests.”
She also produced letters that “establish lin-ks” between all activists and leaders of the Maoist party. Ms Pawar said that all the arguments by the lawyers of activists were the same as those made in the Supreme Court. “And still the SC did not give them bail and did not allow their request of a probe by an independent agency,” she said.
