Navlakha linked to banned terror group, state tells HC

The state, while arguing against a petition filed by activist Gautam Navlakha on Wednesday, told the Bombay high court (HC) that he has been affiliated to the banned organisation Hizbul Mujahedeen (HM) since 2011.

Additional public prosecutor Aruna Pai submitted various letters and emails between Navlakha and senior members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), wherein the former’s role was allegedly defined as facilitating and liaising with banned organisations.

The division bench of justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre was hearing Navlakha’s petition, which sought the quashing of the first information report (FIR) filed against him by the Pune police in connection with the stone-pelting incident at Bhima-Koregaon in 2018. While referring to the 100-page compilation submitted by Pune police, Pai said that in 2011, Navlakha had gone to Srinagar to meet members of the HM, a banned terrorist group.

She said an internal report of the CPI (M), recovered from the computer of co-accused Rona Wilson, also spoke f Navlakha’s role in arranging funds to source weapons from HM. She further submitted that Navlakha was in touch with HM till 2017 and hence, he came under the ambit of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Pai then claimed that the CPI(M) and Navlakha had formed the Coalition of Civil Society and were responsible for furthering the goals of the “communist revolution” in urban areas by funding the Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisation and People Union for Civil Liberties. She later referred to the contents of some confidential emails, written by another co-accused to Navlakha, and said that it required custodial interrogation of the activist. After perusing the confidential evidence, the court agreed to custodial investigation and asked the state to complete its arguments on Thursday.