Mumbai, Jul 2 Activist Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, on Thursday opposed the NIA’s plea seeking the cancellation of his bail, saying the central agency's claim that he and others propagated Maoist ideology at an event at the Mumbai Press Club was "merely an assumption".
In his reply before the special NIA court, filed through advocate R Satyanarayan, Rao said the discussions at the event centred around the prison life of inmates, health conditions in prisons, co-accused Gautam Navlakha's transfer to Delhi, and the prospects of release for another accused, Surendra Gadling.
The National Investigation Agency has sought cancellation of the bail of Rao and co-accused Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj, alleging that they violated bail conditions by attending the Press Club event earlier this year.
Rao's reply said there was no evidence to show that he had invited the other co-accused or had prior knowledge that they would be in attendance.
“The accused himself was an invitee and was invited for dinner. This is apparent from the document submitted by the prosecution, including the bills and enquiry report...," the reply said.
On apprehension that the purpose of the meeting was propagation of Maoist ideology, the response stated that it was merely an assumption by the prosecution.
The NIA has claimed that the event had been organised for propagating the ideology of the banned CPI (Maoist) and to deliberate upon the future course of action for spreading the "Urban Naxal" movement.
The accused's participation in the event was in clear contravention of the bail conditions which prohibit them from engaging in meetings or activities that may further the objectives of banned organizations or pose a threat to public order and national security, the NIA said.
Rao stated in his reply that cancellation of bail is a harsh measure that interferes with an individual's liberty, and it must be "exercised with great care and circumspection.
The material relied upon by the NIA is insufficient to justify depriving an 87-year-old man, who is already battling severe medical conditions, of his liberty, the response said.
Gonsalves and Ferreira too have submitted their reply opposing NIA's plea, While Bharadwaj's lawyer said she did not wish to submit a reply but would directly argue her case.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial. The Pune police, which probed the case initially, also alleged that the conclave was organised by people with Maoist links.
