IAS Pooja Khedkar’s parents on the run after FIR: Pune police
The police have formed several teams to trace the duo.
A Pune sessions court granted a 90-day extension to the Pune police on Sunday to file chargesheet against five accused – Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Sudhir Dhawale and Rona Wilson – who were arrested in June in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon riots for alleged Maoist links.
Citing fresh arrests in the case, the Pune police had moved the court on Saturday seeking 90 more days to file the chargesheet.
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“The period of their judicial custody of 90 days is coming to an end on September 3. With the fresh five arrests in the case, probe is still going on,” investigating officer Shivaji Pawar was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India.
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The five accused in custody were arrested in June as part of the investigation by the Pune police regarding alleged Maoist connection to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31 last year. According to the police, inflammatory speeches at the event had led to violence at Koregaon Bhima near Pune the next day.
In fresh arrests, the Pune police on August 28 arrested five more activists following multi-city raids.
Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navalakha, were placed under house arrest following an order by the Supreme Court.
Also Read | Bhima-Koregaon riots: Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over arrest of activists
The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the Elgaar Parishad, which allegedly triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima in Pune district the next day.
The Pune police have alleged that the arrested activists are linked to Maoist groups and have shown “intolerance to present political system”.
Some of the arrested activists had given Rs 15 lakh for organising the Elgaar Parishad at Pune on December 31, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Param Bir Singh told reporters in Mumbai. The funds came from the central committee of Maoists, he added.
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