Bhima Koregaon case: Prosecution submits email exchanges to show activists' 'links' with Maoists

Pune: Opposing the bail applications of five prominent activists arrested in June for their alleged links with Maoists, the prosecution on Monday submitted “intercepted email communications” exchanged between top CPI(Maoist) fugitive leader Ganapathy and Varavara Rao. These were exchanged after the arrest of the five activists, the prosecution told court. Public prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar on Monday continued her argument before Sessions Judge KD Vadane opposing the bail applications of activists Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj. She told the court that the email communication reveals that the top leaders in CPI (Maoist) central committee were concerned after the arrest of the five and Chandrashekhar alias Ganapathy, who she claimed was the general secretary of CPI (Maoist), had asked Rao how the letters were leaked. While quoting the content of the email, which she claimed was written to Rao by Ganapathy, Pawar said, “The central committee has received a news-clip of some communication that was leaked immediately after the arrests. The point of great concern is how exactly the letters were leaked and how the letters got in the hands of police. We need to put efforts to understand the full scale of this breach and the methods of the intelligence agencies.” [caption id=“attachment_5425741” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Varavara Rao. PTI[/caption] Pawar said the sender of the email also asked Rao to ensure the confidentiality of the communication channel. “Please ensure the confidentiality of this communication channel and any report or message sent outside of the secured network through the micro chip must be encrypted with password,” said Pawar, quoting the mail. She added that Ganapathy in the mail told Rao that the committee is seeking a report from him. Quoting the contents of the letter, Pawar said, “It is better to use multiple keys for the future correspondence. The central committee also expects your report on the assessment of the the damage caused by the police action.” Pawar said, in the email, that Ganapathy told Rao that after the recent arrests from Delhi and Maharashtra, central committee is concerned and said that the “urban movement” is facing a lot of difficulties for last several years. “In the backdrop of all these events, the central committee wants your suggestions to formulate short and long term action plan,” Pawar said while quoting the email. Quoting the email conversation, Pawar said, “The five arrests have caused a lot of damage to the movement and some urgent steps are needed to boost the morale of the cadre.” Citing this email communication, Pawar told the court that the defence has been constantly claiming that these seized letters are fabricated. “This email communication of banned outfit showing concerns about the actions proves that the seized letters are genuine,” she added. In order to support her claim, Pawar also cited some more details of the same email communication, where the sender has asked Rao to delete this mail permanently after reading. Pawar also cited another email communication which she claimed was Rao’s reply to Ganapathy. “This mail was written to Ganapathy by Rao in response to the earlier communication that he had received from Chandrashekhar on 4 July, 2018. This mail was sent on 14 July, where he is asking Ganapathy to maintain extra caution in the view of blanket raids,” she said. “In coming days, I will send a detailed reply along with my own assessment of a serious breach. I agree that any comrade must be secured. Unfortunately I do not know how to set up multiple PGP keys but I will take the help of one of the students,” said Pawar, quoting the email content. PGP is “pretty good privacy” which is an encryption programme to provide cryptographic privacy and authentication for data communication. Pawar said that Rao wrote in the mail that he will put rules in place for using personal mobiles and computers. Pawar added that Rao had expressed concerns about how the intelligence agencies managed to access a confidential file by the name of “final dispatch.pgp” containing the details of the arms to be smuggled through Nepal, Manipur and Kolkata corridors. District Judge KD Vadane is currently hearing bail applications of activists Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj, arrested in June and August this year.