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. 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.

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.

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.