Pune: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil (54), working as an Associate Professor in Department of English at Delhi University, on Tuesday in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.
Hany Babu is a resident of Hyde Park, Sector 78 in Salarpur, Baraula of Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. He is the twelfth suspect to be arrested in the Elgar Parishad case. NIA said it was revealed during investigations that accused Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil was propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology and was a co-conspirator with other arrested accused in the case. He will be produced before the NIA Special Court at Mumbai on Wednesday (July 29) and his police custody will be sought for custodial interrogation, NIA has stated.
Nine people including lawyer Surendra Gadling, Sudha Bharadwaj and Professor Shoma Sen were arrested by Pune police earlier in the case.
Pune police had registered a case at Vishram Baug police station in April 2018 regarding inciting people and giving provocative speeches during Elgar Parishad organized by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Pune December 31, 2017, which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life & property and state-wide agitation in Maharashtra.
Pune Police had filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in this case on November 15, 2018, and February 21, 2019, respectively. NIA took up the investigation of the case on January 24, 2020, and arrested two other suspects Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14, 2020.
During NIA investigation, it was revealed that senior leaders of CPI (Maoist), an organisation banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act were in contact with the organizers of Elgar Parishad as well as the accused arrested in the case to spread the ideology of Maoism and Naxalism and encourage unlawful activities.
