Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
Navlakha arrives for house arrest
NAVI MUMBAI: Civil rights activist and Elgar Parishad case accused Gautam Navlakha finally arrived at his house of choice, Communist Party of India (Marxist) office-cum-library building in Navi Mumbai’s Belapur, on Saturday evening for a month-long house arrest.
Earlier in the day, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) informed the special court that in compliance with the Supreme Court’s November 10 order, it would proceed with the transfer of the 70-year-old.
NIA’s counsel Shrikant Sonkawade said one of the doors at the one-storey building had a grille which they would lock from the outside and another gate had a CCTV camera which would also be closed.
The court then directed the registry to immediately communicate with the Taloja jail superintendent and the police commissioner of Navi Mumbai. The court also directed the prison authorities to hand over Navlakha’s custody to the police escort. He was released after furnishing a surety of ₹2 lakh.
The building – Comrade BT Ranadive Smruti Trust – is located at Agroli village. The first-floor room, where Navlakha will reside has been used over the years by top CPI(M) leaders like Sitaram Yechury. Before the activist’s arrival, his partner Sahba Husain, a resident of Delhi, had reached the place around 2pm. She carried bags containing what appeared to be food packets to the firstfloor hall.
Around 15 police and NIA personnel were deployed at the location, apart from the bomb detection and dog squads.
A full body scanner has been installed at the gate leading to the first floor while a security guard with a hand-held detector has been posted at the main gate.
Navlakha arrived at his temporary residence in an SUV escorted by another SUV of security personnel at 6pm. He was taken directly to the building with the media being kept away.
The SC on November 10 allowed Navlakha one-month house arrest on account of his age and poor health.
The Elgar Parishad case was registered by the Vishrambag police in Pune on January 8, 2018, based on a complaint filed by a local builder, Tushar Damgude, alleging that members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) had incited violence by creating communal disharmony. He claimed that members of Kabir Kala Manch spread hatred through provocative songs, plays, and speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad event held on December 31, 2017, which gave rise to widespread violence the next day at the historical site of Bhima Koregaon.
ACTIVIST NAVLAKHA ARRIVED AT HIS TEMPORARY RESIDENCE IN AN SUV AT 6PM. HE WAS TAKEN DIRECTLY TO THE BUILDING WITH THE MEDIA BEING KEPT AWAY