Kabir Kala artistes took part in arms training: ATS

Sathe,eight months pregnant,was released on bail by the Bombay High Court on Saturday. The other three are in judicial custody at Arthur Road prison. In 2010,six other members of KKM were arrested but later released on bail by the HC.

In granting bail,the court had said,“Sympathy for Maoist philosophy with a likelihood to indulge in various violent activities is not sufficient ground to conclude that the accused are presently active members.”

Another person,Angella Sontakke,wife of Teltumbde and an alleged member of Maharashtra State Committee of Communist Party of India (Maoist) from Thane district,is still behind bars.

According to the three surrendered Naxal youths,the four youths all in their late 20s along with other members of KKM and Milind Teltumbde,alleged secretary of CPI (Maoist) participated in several camp meetings and arms training.

“These leaders had appealed to their cadres to follow armed revolt against the capitalists and democracy and to establish the ideology of Mao,Lenin and Marx. All the participants,including the leaders,were carrying rifles,” one of the witness allegedly told the ATS.

According to the witness,“Korchi Dalam”,the Naxal group he was associated with between 2003-2012 had hacked five persons. He claimed that he had not participated in the killing.

Two similar testimonies of surrendered naxalites have been attached with the chargesheet along with other witnesses from the accused colleges,their relatives to

establish their alliance

with KKM.

In the 131-page chargesheet,the ATS has attached 17 witness statements.

The ATS has also called KKM a front used to collect money for Naxal activities. While senior advocate Mihir Desai rubbished the ATS’ claim,Vijay Hiremath,appearing for the group,has said that “these testimonies do not invoke any trust”. Hiremath pointed out that the evidence gathered against the four is only between December 2011 and 2012,while the FIR was registered on April 25,2011.