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Why Kabir Kala Manch artists Gorkhe and Gaichor, granted bail by HC, were arrested by NIA for ‘Maoist links’

An offence was lodged against some Elgaar Parishad organisers at Vishrambag police station in Pune in January 2018.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 23, 2026 07:19 PM IST

(From left to right) Sagar Gorkhe (37) and Ramesh Gaichor (41). (Source: Express Photo)

More than five years after being arrested in the Elgaar Parishad case for alleged Maoist links, Ramesh Gaichor (41) and Sagar Gorkhe (37), both members of the Pune based cultural group Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), were given bail by the Bombay High Court (HC) on Friday.

The KKM is among the outfits that organised the Elgaar Parishad conclave at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune city on December 31, 2017, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Koregaon Bhima. The following day, widespread violence was reported in Koregaon Bhima area in Pune district, in which one person died while several others were left injured.

An offence was lodged against some Elgaar Parishad organisers at Vishrambag police station in Pune in January 2018. Initially being investigated by the Pune city police, the case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in January 2020.

Investigators alleged that Elgaar Parishad received funds from the banned CPI-Maoist and that speeches delivered at the conclave along with previous campaigns for the event were among the factors that allegedly led to the violence in Koregaon Bhima.

A total of 16 persons were arrested in this case under IPC and UAPA sections. Following the arrest of KKM artists Gorkhe, Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap from Pune in September 2020, the NIA had issued a press release stating the three accused “were propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology and were co-conspirators with other arrested accused. It has also come on record that the arrested accused persons were in contact with absconding accused Milind Teltumbde (CPI Maoist central committee member gunned down by Gadchiroli police in November 2021) about Urban network of CPI (Maoist).

“Also it is established that during their visits in the jungle, they underwent weapon & explosive training and awareness programmes on various topics related to Maoist movement,” the press release stated.

After supplementary chargesheet was filed against them, An NIA press release stated that Gorkhe, Gaichor and Jagtap attended meetings for the organisation of Elgaar Parishad with other co-accused “as a part of well chalked out conspiracy. They propagated the agenda of CPI-Maoist” and planned and coordinated all across Maharashtra.

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KKM had condemned the arrests calling it a “false case” and an attempt to protect Hindutva leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, who they claim to be the culprits behind Koregaon Bhima violence. Bhide and Ekbote were booked in another case related to Koregaon Bhima violence with the Pune rural police.

Jyoti was granted bail by the Supreme Court in November 2025. Investigators say KKM was formed after the Gujarat riots in 2002 to promote unity through cultural and musical programmes, but the group was later hijacked by Maoist operatives. The KKM was named in the list of “Active front organisations of the CPI (Maoist)” submitted in the Lok Sabha in February 2014 by then UPA government minister of state for home affairs RPN Singh.

The previous case

Police said Gorkhe and Gaichor were arrested in the past too in a UAPA case lodged by the Maharashtra ATS in 2011 against 14 persons, including Milind Teltumbde and his wife Anjelo Sontakke, for allegedly spreading CPI-Maoist activities in the urban areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

As per the ATS probe, Gaichor and Gorkhe were among those who allegedly attended 15-days naxal training camp organised in Pune by Teltumbde in 2010. ATS had arrested accused Sheetal Sathe, Sachin Mali, Gorkhe and Gaichor, after they surrendered in Mumbai, by staging “satyagraha” and singing “revolutionary songs” in 2013.

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The ATS chargesheet alleged that the accused KKM artists participated in arms training with about 150 naxals in jungle areas of Gondia, Gadchiroli, between November 2011 and April 20212, while they were on the run.

All accused denied the allegations and were later released on bail. While the 2011 case is still pending in a Mumbai court, in May last year, the ATS arrested a KKM member and a wanted accused Prashant Kamble alias Laptop, who had been missing since 2010. Investigators recovered from an Aadhaar card, Pan card, voting card and a Passport in a fake name “Sunil Jagtap”, which Kamble allegedly procured while working with tribal children in Raigad. Another KKM member Santosh Shelar alias Painter, who too had allegedly joined the armed Maoist movement with Kamble, was arrested in January 2024.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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