The NIA has approached a special Mumbai court to impound the passports of Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut, Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, and Hany Babu. The court has adjourned the matter to October 9 for the defence response.
Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has applied to a special court in Mumbai asking to impound the passports of five accused in the Elgar Parishad–Maoist links case.
The plea was filed on Monday under Section 51 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). This section states that whenever a person is chargesheeted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), his or her passport is automatically considered as impounded.
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However, the time period for which the passport is to be kept impounded must be fixed by the court.
The NIA’s application comes nearly five years after the arrests of the accused — Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut, Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, and Hany Babu.
These five were among those named in the case related to alleged Maoist links and the Elgar Parishad event.
After hearing the NIA’s request, the court has asked the defence lawyers to respond. The matter has now been adjourned to October 9 for further hearing.
The Elgar Parishad case dates back to December 31, 2017, when a conclave was held in Pune. According to police, the event witnessed inflammatory speeches that allegedly instigated violence the very next day near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of Pune, Maharashtra’s second largest city.
Over the years, the investigation has led to the arrest of as many as 15 individuals in connection with the case. The accused have been charged under UAPA provisions for their alleged links with Maoist organisations and for their suspected involvement in planning and instigating violence.
The NIA, by moving this plea, has sought to ensure that the accused do not misuse their passports or attempt to leave the country while the case is still under trial. The court will now decide the period for which their passports will remain impounded.
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