Elgar case: NIA claims accused wanted to wage war against the nation

The National Investigation Agency submitted the draft earlier this month and a copy was made available on Monday. The draft lays down 17 charges against 15 accused, including human rights and civil liberties activists, and they have been sought to be charged under various sections of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

The NIA has alleged that the accused persons were active members of the banned terror outfit CPI (Maoist). The arrested accused in the case include activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Varavara Rao, Hany Babu, Anand Teltumbde, Shoma Sen, Gautam Navlakha and others. As per the draft charges, the main objective of the accused persons was to establish a “Jantana Sarkar (people’s government) through revolution and armed struggle to seize power from the State”. 

The draft also claimed that the accused attempted to “wage war against the Governments of India and Maharashtra”. Framing of charges is the first step before trial commences in the case where the prosecution describes the charges against the accused along with the evidence to be relied upon. 

The draft further claimed the accused had been playing provocative songs, enacting short plays and skits in Pune during the Elgar Parishad meeting and distributing Naxal literature.