The Bombay High Court recently rejected the bail pleas of three members of cultural music group Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) who were arrested for allegedly supporting and funding Naxal activities in the state. The court rejected the bail applications of Sachin Mali, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor, who was arrested along with another member Sheetal Sathe in April last year after they courted arrest outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. They were booked under the stringent provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and relevant IPC sections. In a chargesheet filed against the four in July 2013, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad alleged that Sathe, Mali, Gorkhe and Gaichor had participated in arms training sessions between November 2011 and April 2012 along with 150 Naxals. All of them courted arrest in April-May outside Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai. While the group has said it is being targeted for openly criticising the government, the ATS, in its chargesheet, claims to have gathered witness statements from three surrendered Naxals to show these youths had Naxal links. mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com
