NIA arrests Delhi University professor Hany Babu in Bhima Koregaon case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested Delhi University Professor Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil in connection with its ongoing probe into the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.

New Delhi:The NIA on Tuesday arrested an associate professor of Delhi University in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case, an official said.

Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54, a resident of Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, is an Associate Professor in the Department of English, a spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said.

The case pertains to inciting people and giving provocative speeches during Elgar Parishad organised by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Maharashtra's Pune on December 31, 2017, which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life and property and state-wide agitation in Maharashtra.

During police investigation, it was revealed that senior leaders of CPI (Maoist), an organisation banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, were in contact with the organisers of Elgar Parishad as well as the accused arrested in the case to spread the ideology of Maoism and encourage unlawful activities.

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The Pune Police had filed charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in this case on November 15, 2018 and February 21, 2019 respectively.

The NIA had taken over the probe on January 24 this year from the Maharashtra Police.

After taking up the probe the anti-terror probe agency had arrested accused Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14 this year. The spokesperson said that during further investigation, it was revealed that accused Tharayil was propagating Maoist activities and Maoist ideology and was a co-conspirator with other arrested accused.

He will be produced before NIA Special Court in Mumbai on Wednesday and his police custody will be sought for custodial interrogation.

(With inputs from IANS)