The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court
The KKM is named in the list of “Active front organisations of the CPI (Maoist)” submitted in the Lok Sabha in February 2014 by then UPA government’s Minister of State for Home Affairs R P N Singh.
Granted interim bail by the Supreme Court (SC) in the Elgaar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima case nearly five years after her arrest, Jyoti Jagtap is an singer and artiste of the Pune-based Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), a cultural group alleged to be a “front organisation” of the banned CPI-Maoist.
The KKM is named in the list of “Active front organisations of the CPI (Maoist)” submitted in the Lok Sabha in February 2014 by then UPA government’s Minister of State for Home Affairs R P N Singh.
The KKM was among the outfits that took lead in organising the Elgaar Parishad at Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31, 2017, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Next day, widespread violence was reported in Koregaon Bhima area in Pune district, in which one person died while several others were injured.
A case was lodged against some of the Elgaar Parishad organisers at the Vishrambag police station in Pune in January 2018. Initially being investigated by the Pune city police, the case was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
As per the Pune city police and NIA probe, the Elgaar Parishad allegedly received funds from the 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 on January 1, 2018.
Jyoti is among the 16 persons arrested under IPC and UAPA sections in the case, for allegedly being active members of banned the CPI-Maoist. The NIA had arrested Jyoti and two more KKM artistes Ramesh Gaychor and Sagar Gorkhe from Pune in September 2020. All three were active in organising the Elgaar Parishad under the banner of “Bhima Koregaon Shauryadin Prerna Abhiyan”.
A press release by the NIA following their arrests stated that “the three accused were propagating Maoist ideology and were in contact with absconding accused Milind Teltumbde (CPI Maoist central committee member gunned down by Gadchiroli police in November 2021) about the urban work of CPI-Maoist.” The press release alleged the accused had during their visits in the jungle undergone weapon and explosive training and awareness programmes on various topics related to the Maoist movement.
Story continues below this ad
KKM supporters condemned their arrests calling it an attempt to protect Hindutva leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, who were booked in another case related to Koregaon Bhima violence with the Pune rural police.
Previous case against KKM and Jyoti’s ‘satyagrah’
As per police records, Jyoti’s group KKM was formed after the Gujarat riots in 2002 for promoting unity through cultural and musical programmes. In 2008, KKM artistes had staged a protest denying any links with Naxals, following reports that police have included their group in the list of outfits with Maoist links.
But, KKM actually came on the police records following the arrest of alleged CPI-Maoist leader Angela Sontakke alias Sadhana from Thane by the ATS in April 2011. Angela’s husband Milind Teltumbde was also named as a wanted accused in this case, registered under IPC and UAPA sections.
Along with Angela, the ATS booked 14 others including KKM artistes Sheetal Sathe, Sachin Mali, Gorkhe and Gaychor for allegedly spreading Maoist ideology in urban areas. Jyoti was not accused in this case. But Sathe, Mali, Gorkhe and Gaychor were arrested after they had surrendered to the police in Mumbai by staging “satyagraha” and singing “revolutionary songs” along with Jyoti and another KKM artiste Rupali Jadhav in 2013.
Story continues below this ad
Sheetal was then pregnant, so was released on bail by the court. All accused denied links with Naxals. However, the ATS chargesheet alleged that the accused KKM artistes participated in arms training with about 150 Naxals in jungle areas of Gondia and Gadchiroli between November 2011 and April 20212, while they were on the run. The SC granted bail to Angela in 2016 and to Mali, Gorkhe and Gaychor in January 2017. Jyoti was residing in Gaychor in Pune’s Yerwada area after his release and both participated in several KKM programmes.
While the 2011 case is still pending in a Mumbai court, in May this year the ATS arrested a KKM member and wanted accused Prashant Kamble alias Laptop from Pune, who was missing since 2010. Police said Kamble was allegedly indoctrinated by Teltumbde to join the armed Maoist movement. Police recovered from him Aadhaar card, Pan card, voting card and a passport in a fake name “Sunil Jagtap”, which he allegedly procured while working with tribal children in Khalapur in Raigad district. Another KKM member Santosh Shelar alias Painter from Pune, who too had gone missing with Kamble allegedly to join the armed Maoist movement, was arrested in January 2024.
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
