HC rejects bail plea of 3 from music group accused of Naxal funding

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has rejected the bail pleas of three members of radical music group Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), arrested for their alleged role in supporting and funding Naxal activities in the state. Justice AR Joshi on 11 April rejected the bail applications of Sachin Mali, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor. The trio was arrested along with another member Sheetal Sathe in April last year after they courted arrest outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. [caption id=“attachment_1479597” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] They were booked under the stringent provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code including criminal conspiracy. A case was registered in 2011 against 15 persons including KKM members for alleged involvement with the banned organisation Communist Party of India (Maoist). While seven persons were arrested in 2010, Mali, Gorkhe, Gaichor and others were declared absconding accused. According to the trio, they are cultural activists who take up social causes like poverty, corruption, superstition, gender discrimination and so on. The High Court, however, refused to accept their contention and refused to release them on bail. PTI