Maharashtra ATS claims to have arrested senior Maoist leader

by Shivendra Singh · May 9, 2015

Alleged Maoist leader K Muralidharan alias Ajith alias Thomas Joseph (62) and his suspected aid Ismail Hamaza Chiragpalli (29) were arrested by Pune unit of Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday morning and produced in a special court on Saturday (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has claimed to have arrested senior Maoist leader Ajith (62) – who also goes by the names K Muralidharan and Thomas Joseph – from the outskirts of Pune city early on Monday morning. Ajith along with an aide identified by police as Ismail Hamaza Chiragpilli alias Pravin alias James Mathew (29) was arrested from a hospital in village Talegaon Dabhade – about 30 kms from Pune – and produced before a special judge on Tuesday morning. Additional Sessions Judge S V Mane has granted a seven-day police remand to question the two arrested accused. Police did not clarify how long the duo have been living in Talegaon.

Police described Ajith as a close aide of top Maoist leader Ganapathy. They said that Ajith and Ismail were residing in Talegaon Dabhade under a false identity.

The duo has been booked under Indian Penal Code (PIC 419, 467, 468, 471 and 34 read with UAPA sections 10, 13, 20, 38.

“We have arrested them yesterday from Moraya Hospital in Talegaon Dabhade after getting a tip off from a source. They belong to the banned CPI (Maoist) party. We will be releasing a detailed note for the press later,” said Bhanupratap Barge, Senior Police Inspector, ATS (Pune Unit).

A large contingent of police personnel was deployed at the Shivajinagar District and Sessions Court. The police did not allow the media persons to sit for the remand hearing citing ‘need of secrecy’ and security reasons. The two accused were produced in the court with their faced covered with a hood.

When he was escorted out from the ATS office, Ajith told media persons, “I am a member of the CPI Maoist party. I shouldn’t have been arrested like this. My arrest is illegal.”

Source:: Indian Express