India
Nia: Gautam Navlakha was in touch with man arrested by FBI in 2011 for receiving funds from Pakistan: NIA | India News
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MUMBAI: Gautam Navlakha, Delhi-based activist arrested and accused of Maoist links in 2018 Elgar Parishad case, “was in touch with Ghulam Nabi Fai’’ who the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had arrested in the US in July 2011 for accepting funds from ISI and Pakistan government, said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposing his bail application before the Bombay high court in the case under the special anti-terror law– the Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act (UAPA).
A July 19, 2011, release issued by the US Department of Justice stated, Fai is accused of a decades-long scheme with one purpose – to hide Pakistan’s involvement behind his efforts to influence the U.S. government’s position on Kashmir,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “His handlers in Pakistan allegedly funneled millions through the Kashmir Center to contribute to U.S. elected officials, fund high-profile conferences, and pay for other efforts that promoted the Kashmiri cause to decision-makers in Washington.” It said “Fai serves as the director of the Kashmiri American Council (KAC)”.
The NIA said Navlakha, 70, “is trying to portray his criminal activities as work for human rights’’ when he “actively involved in commission of offences he is charged with.’’
The affidavit by NIA filed on Monday said during investigation it was established that Navlakha “visited USA thrice to address ‘Kashmiri American Council (KAC)conference organized by Ghulam Nabi Fai.’’ “It is established that Navlakha was introduced to a Pakistani ISI General for his recruitment by Ghulam Nabi Fai on the direction of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), showing his nexus and complicity with …Fai and Pakistan ISI,’’ said the affidavit filed by NIA submitted before HC through its counsel Sandesh Patil.
The NIA sought time and Navlakha’s plea for bail, filed last year, was adjourned by the HC bench of Justices AS Gadkari and P D Naik, to next Monday. Navlakha, who has worked on fact finding missions and written articles, is presently under house arrest, following orders of the Supreme Court which permitted his plea last November on grounds of his ill health.
Navlakha had written and submitted letters on behalf of Fai, the Judge of the US court trying Fai’s case, for clemency, said the NIA. The agency said scrutiny of documents seized from Navlakha shows they are related to CPI (Maoist) strategy, party formation, “critical secret communication with underground senior leaders of the Party which establishes his deep involvement the activities of CPI (Maoist) party.’’
A search of co-accused professor Hany Babu’s premises revealed the code names given to CPI (Maoist ) cadre, said the NIA which had filed its additional charge sheet against Navlakha and others, on October 9, 2020 invoking offences inkling waging war, sedition and terror-offences under UAPA.
The NIA cited and referred to various letters recovered from Navlakha and his co-accused to oppose his bail plea and to argue that it has “sufficient material evidence on record to substantiate the charges against him’’ which he is trying to “trivialise’’.
The NIA said in April 2010 one letter addressed to him and two others about their visit to Dandkarnya (DK), an advancing guerrilla zone of revolutionary movement by CPI (Maoist). A letter from the laptop of co-accused Surendra Gadling to Navlakha regarding a programme at Hyderabad arranged by co-accused Varavara Rao (presently on medical bail).
The NIA said CPI (Maoist) members who are in a fact finding team have a well known practice of giving a negative report on lawful ‘anti-naxal operations’ to gain sympathy from general public and to create “hatred against lawfully established government.’’
A July 19, 2011, release issued by the US Department of Justice stated, Fai is accused of a decades-long scheme with one purpose – to hide Pakistan’s involvement behind his efforts to influence the U.S. government’s position on Kashmir,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “His handlers in Pakistan allegedly funneled millions through the Kashmir Center to contribute to U.S. elected officials, fund high-profile conferences, and pay for other efforts that promoted the Kashmiri cause to decision-makers in Washington.” It said “Fai serves as the director of the Kashmiri American Council (KAC)”.
The NIA said Navlakha, 70, “is trying to portray his criminal activities as work for human rights’’ when he “actively involved in commission of offences he is charged with.’’
The affidavit by NIA filed on Monday said during investigation it was established that Navlakha “visited USA thrice to address ‘Kashmiri American Council (KAC)conference organized by Ghulam Nabi Fai.’’ “It is established that Navlakha was introduced to a Pakistani ISI General for his recruitment by Ghulam Nabi Fai on the direction of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), showing his nexus and complicity with …Fai and Pakistan ISI,’’ said the affidavit filed by NIA submitted before HC through its counsel Sandesh Patil.
The NIA sought time and Navlakha’s plea for bail, filed last year, was adjourned by the HC bench of Justices AS Gadkari and P D Naik, to next Monday. Navlakha, who has worked on fact finding missions and written articles, is presently under house arrest, following orders of the Supreme Court which permitted his plea last November on grounds of his ill health.
Navlakha had written and submitted letters on behalf of Fai, the Judge of the US court trying Fai’s case, for clemency, said the NIA. The agency said scrutiny of documents seized from Navlakha shows they are related to CPI (Maoist) strategy, party formation, “critical secret communication with underground senior leaders of the Party which establishes his deep involvement the activities of CPI (Maoist) party.’’
A search of co-accused professor Hany Babu’s premises revealed the code names given to CPI (Maoist ) cadre, said the NIA which had filed its additional charge sheet against Navlakha and others, on October 9, 2020 invoking offences inkling waging war, sedition and terror-offences under UAPA.
The NIA cited and referred to various letters recovered from Navlakha and his co-accused to oppose his bail plea and to argue that it has “sufficient material evidence on record to substantiate the charges against him’’ which he is trying to “trivialise’’.
The NIA said in April 2010 one letter addressed to him and two others about their visit to Dandkarnya (DK), an advancing guerrilla zone of revolutionary movement by CPI (Maoist). A letter from the laptop of co-accused Surendra Gadling to Navlakha regarding a programme at Hyderabad arranged by co-accused Varavara Rao (presently on medical bail).
The NIA said CPI (Maoist) members who are in a fact finding team have a well known practice of giving a negative report on lawful ‘anti-naxal operations’ to gain sympathy from general public and to create “hatred against lawfully established government.’’
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