Maharashtra: Prosecution seeks conviction under UAPA, maximum sentence for ‘Maoist’ Bhelke

The trial in this case is going on before Special Judge S R Navandar in Shivajinagar court. Bhelke and Kanchan were initially members of the ‘Deshbhakti Yuva Manch’, an alleged Maoist front in Chandrapur. The couple later allegedly worked actively with armed Maoist cadres in the jungles of Gadchiroli and Gondia. According to the ATS, Bhelke and Nanaware had lived in Pune, Mumbai and Raigad under aliases. The agency claimed that fake PAN cards and Aadhaar cards with different names were recovered from the couple after their arrest.

According to the ATS chargesheet, Bhelke tried to indoctrinate and recruit some youths from a Pune slum into the Maoist movement. The ATS had seized several documents, handwritten papers and electronic material such as a laptop and pen drive from the accused. The agency had claimed that it had retrieved ‘Maoist communications’ from the seized electronic devices.

While arguing before the court on Monday, Special Public prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar referred to ‘CPI-Maoist documents’ such Strategic and Tactics of Indian Revolution and Our Work in Urban Areas, which have been seized. Pawar argued that Bhelke was allegedly working as per the ‘cadre policy’ stated in the ‘Maoist strategy documents’.

She cited a letter in which Bhelke allegedly mentioned sending cadres for participating in Maoist activities. Pawar said sending cadres for a banned group is an offence under UAPA.

Pawar pointed out that Bhelke’s aliases like ‘Spandan’, ‘Rajan’ and Nanaware’s alias ‘Bhoomi’ have appeared in “secret letters” recovered from the accused. Pawar submitted that Bhelke and Nanaware allegedly introduced themselves with other names while taking a room on rent at Kanhe Phata in Pune, where they also ran a small kiosk, selling items like tea, tobacco, biscuits. Pawar alleged that there was a letter in which Bhelke had sought money from the Maoist party for medical treatment of Nanaware.

Pawar claimed that as per the strategy documents of CPI Maoists, Bhelke worked as ‘PR’ (professional revolutionaries) of the banned group in urban areas using fake names and procuring fake identity cards. 

The ATS probe had revealed that the couple had taken a room on rent at Khalapur in Raigad by signing an agreement under the names Akash Narayan Bhagat and Shital Akash Bhagat. The ATS had seized during the probe a PAN card and Aadhaar card with the name, Aditya Suresh Patil, with Bhelke’s photo. The agency also seized a PAN card with the name, Sonali Aditya Patil, with Nanaware’s photo.

Pawar also read out content from ‘Maoist documents’ regarding ‘recruitment from different oppressed sections, political and military tasks of CPI-Maoist, its work in rural areas and cities, guerilla activities’ and other aspects. Pawar said a CD seized from accused, on how to make bombs, was demonstrated to the court. 

Pawar then referred to the submission made by surrendered Naxals, Gopi alias Nirangsai Madavi, Krushna alias Birju Dorpate and Shaligram Bansode, who were also examined before the court. They had identified Bhelke and Kanchan as active CPI-Maoist members.

The surrendered Naxals had stated that Bhelke was closely linked to Milind alias Deepak Teltumbde, a top Maoist operative who was killed in an encounter with police during a massive encounter in Gadchiroli last year.

Pawar told the court that there was evidence to show that Bhelke was an active member of CPI-Maoist. She concluded by saying Bhelke should be convicted and given maximum punishment, not only for forgery under sections 465, 468 of IPC, but also under sections 20 and 38 of the UAPA.

The defence lawyer will argue before the court on August 10.