Ghandy met Prachanda, knew of Induwar’s killing: Police (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - Delhi Police Friday filed a chargesheet against arrested Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy, saying he had met Nepal’s Maoist chief Prachanda abroad and knew about the abduction and killing of Jharkhand cop Francis Induwar.

The chargesheet running into over 35 pages was filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja.

According to the chargesheet filed by the special cell of Delhi Police, Ghandy was involved in anti-national activities and was in Delhi to set up a base for Maoist activities before his arrest in September last year.

Ghandy and his organization was trying to strengthen their party by involving students and establishing a student outfit by the name of Delhi Student Union (DSU), the chargesheet stated.

According to Police, DSU used to work secretly in the capital.

Ghandy disclosed that the organisation had assigned codes to various front groups to maintain secrecy, police said.

Police informed the court about several of Ghandy’s foreign trips to countries like Germany, Belgium and Nepal, where he met Prachanda, to discuss the activities of his organisation, the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist).

According to the chargesheet, Ghandy said in his disclosure statement that he is an active central committee member and politburo member of his group and was underground in Delhi for the past three years. He also had knowledge about the abduction and killing of Jharkhand police officer Induwar last year.

Police also recovered lot of literature, CDs, laptops and computer carrying the material related to his party and the activities they are planning in the capital.

Police told the court that during interrogation, Ghandy proved he was one of the main pillars of the CPI-Maoist and a think thank for the outfit.

In Feb 2007, CPI (Maoist) in a meeting held on the Bhimanbandhu fortest of Bihar/Jharkhand passed the four point resolution according to which their aim was to create large scale violence throughout India and conduct raids on Police establishments and loot arms and ammunition.

To overthrow the present democratic government and take the path of new democratic revolution. To ill police parties and to kill police personnel responsible for the suppression of CPI (M), the chargesheet reads.

Demanding Ghandy’s prosecution for forgery and criminal conspiracy and under various sections of Unlawful activities act, the police submitted that, The CPI (Maoist) party fund is about 15 to 20 crores and the money is collected through extortions.

Ghandy also disclosed the fact that there are 30 members in the central committee of CPI (Maoist) including him and party has over one lakh members.

He also confessed of his involvement in two other cases of naxal attacks in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh Police had already interrogated him in those cases.

Police also mentioned that Ghandy did not cooperate with the investigating officer, kept complaining about his ill-health and did not disclose any material facts about his associates and the illegal activities of his banned outfit.

After this, police had to demand a narco test, which was later stayed by the high court.

The court will take cognisance of this chargesheet March 4.

In December last year, Baweja granted police 90 more days to file a chargesheet against Ghandy after dismissing his statutory bail application.

Under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, the investigating agency has to complete the probe within 90 days in the case of severe offences. But the court, using its discretion, empowered police to extend the period of Ghandy’s detention.

Ghandy has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after his arrest Sep 20 last year.

- Indo-Asian News Service