ATS adds statements of ‘sympathisers’ to make a strong case against ‘Naxal’ leader
THE Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which is likely to file a chargesheet
against alleged Naxal ideologue K Muralidharan, has included the
statements of suspected ‘sympathisers’ who were persuaded by
Muralidharan to join the Naxal stir. The counter-terrorism agency is
likely to file a chargesheet against Muralidharan in the coming week
under certain sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)
and the Indian Penal Code( IPC).
In May, the ATS arrested top Maoist leader K Muralidharan alias
Thomas Joseph alias Skaria alias Gopi alias Raghavan alias Ajith (62)
and his aide Ismail Hamaza Chiragpilli alias Pravin alias James Mathew
(29) from Talegaon Dabhade area, about 30 kms from Pune. In May 2014,
Muralidharan, the national secretary of CPI(ML) Naxalbari, had merged
his party with the CPI(Maoist) and was made the central committee
member. After becoming a central committee member, Muralidharan was
assigned the task to strengthen the outfit’s base in Pune and was
therefore camping in Talegaon to scout for new members, the ATS claims.
To assert this claim, the agency has included the statements of over a
dozen people from Pune, mainly comprising college students and
businessmen. Sources claim that in 2014, these people, who are now
witnesses, were approached by Muralidharan to join the outfit. “With the
help of the absconding accused, Sanjay Deepak Rao (51), who allegedly
provided logistic support, Muralidharan set up his base in Talegaon. He
was able to approach a few and was in the process of ‘brainwashing’
them,” a senior official said.
“The witnesses have narrated the accounts in which they were
persuaded to join,” added the officer. “A base in Pune was a part of the
larger plan to expand their activities in the Western Ghats,” the
official added. The police claim that other than the statements, they
have recovered alleged ‘Naxal literature’, mostly in Marathi, English
and Malayalam, and fake adhaar and PAN cards from the Talegaon safe
house. In its chargesheet, the ATS will mention the new hideouts of the
outfit, especially those in the central forest.
It will also throw light on the meetings between Muralidharan and
alleged top Naxal leader Muppalla Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy.
“Muralidharan has shared details of the treacherous travel he had to
undertake to meet the man on whom there is a bounty of Rs 2.5 crore.
Ganapathy, the general secretary of the CPI(Maoist) touted as the
topmost Naxal leader in the country,” said an officer. Sources say
Muralidharan has told investigators that the process of meeting
Ganapathy would commence with a human courier suddenly landing up at his
doorstep and passing on the message to get on to a train to a
particular state and meet another courier at a certain place.
The human courier and Muralidharan would board a state-run bus and
alight in an interior village. Soon, the courier would blindfold him and
they would walk straight for two days. After his blindfolds would come
off, Muralidharan could only see tall trees on all sides. He would then
undertake another two-day journey though the forest to finally reach a
‘safe house’ where Ganapathy would meet him. “Other than the elaborate
travels, the only detail he has shared are the names of the states such
as Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka where he has travelled to meet
him,” said the officer.
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