New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Tuesday an associate professor of Delhi University. The associate professor was nabbed by the NIA in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case, an official said. The arrested professor has been identified as Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54. He is a resident of Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and works in the Department of English, a spokesperson of the NIA said.
The case relates to an Elgar Parishad event of December 31, 2017, organised by the Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Pune. In the programme alleged provocative speeches were made, promoting enmity between various caste groups and leading to violence. It resulted in loss of life and property and statewide agitation in Maharashtra, the official said.
During investigation, it was revealed that senior leaders of the CPI (Maoist) were in contact with the organisers of Elgar Parishad. The leaders were also in touch with accused arrested in the case to spread the ideology of Maoism/Naxalism. Incidentally the CPI (Maoist) is a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
The Pune police filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in the case November 15, 2018 and February 21, 2019 respectively.
The NIA took up the investigation of the case on January 24 this year and arrested Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha, April 14. During further investigation, it was revealed that Hany Babu was propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology. He was a ‘co-conspirator’ with the other arrested accused, a NIA official said.
The accused will be produced Wednesday before a special NIA court in Mumbai. His police custody will be sought for custodial interrogation, he said, adding that further investigation in the case was underway.
