Gautam Navlakha part of urban naxal movement which arranges manpower, funds for rural naxal struggle: NIA to Bombay High Court

Human rights activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha was part of an urban movement to arrange for logistics for the rural naxal movement, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the Bombay High Court on Monday while opposing Navlakha’s bail application. .Additional solicitor general Devang Vyas appearing for NIA argued that the "urban naxal wing" was a complementary part of the rural arms naxal struggle because it arranged logistics like manpower and funds. “Urban (naxal) movement is one of the main sources as it handles cadres to arrange logistics. Urban movement is complimentary to rural arms struggle. One cannot have a mass movement with urban movement but it arranges logistics to give the belief as wide publicity as possible,” the ASG said..The senior counsel was opposing the regular bail plea filed by Navlakha, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case of 2018. The special NIA court had rejected Navlakha’s plea after re-hearing the same, as directed by the High Court. This has been challenged by Navlakha before the High Court..Navlakha’s lawyer Advocate Yug Mohit Chaudhary argued that a basic ingredient for invoking charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is violence along with terrorism, association or conspiracy. His argument was that without violence, the provisions under UAPA could not have been invoked in the case.Chaudhary also highlighted Navlakha's advanced age and the fact that the trial was yet to commence.“Discharge applications are still pending. There are 54 volumes of chargesheet with a total of 20,000 pages. There are over 370 witnesses,” Chaudhary contended..Vyas responded by stating that prima facie evidence showed there was a conspiracy within a larger conspiracy. Navlakha has been charged under sections of 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. “With regard to Navlakha, they may not have allegations of any violent act against him, but conspiracy with UAPA will be applicable against him. Prima facie investigation revealed these aspects. Navlakha conspired with other arrested and wanted accused persons to further the ideology of the Communist Party of India (Maoist),” the ASG said..He submitted that prime facie evidence also showed that every individual was assigned a role and performed that role.“You cannot say that only the material which names me should be used against me or that ‘I was only concerned with setting appointments, for funds, etc. if we take one out, the chain will fall apart,” Vyas added..Vyas will continue his submissions tomorrow.