A court in Pune on Sunday remanded Telugu poet, writer and activist P Varavara Rao to police custody till November 26, The Hindu reported.
Rao, 78, was taken into custody from his home in Hyderabad on Saturday for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had been under house arrest since the end of August.
The writer was brought to Pune on Sunday morning and produced in the court of District and Sessions Judge Kishor D Vadane, PTI reported.
Rao and four other activists from Mumbai, Delhi and Gurgaon were arrested in a series of raids on August 28 in connection with their alleged role in instigating caste violence in Maharashtra’s Bhima Koregaon village on January 1. However, on August 29 the Supreme Court ordered that they be placed under house arrest. The Hyderabad High Court later extended Rao’s house arrest. While investigating the violence in Bhima Koregaon, the police claimed to have uncovered a conspiracy to kill Modi.
On Saturday, Rao’s son-in-law KV Kurmanath told reporters that the Pune Police did not have any transit remand papers to transport Rao to Pune. When the family insisted on documents, the investigating officer wrote a letter, Kurmanath added.
The police have told reporters that Rao had also helped Maoists buy arms from suppliers in Nepal and Manipur, and was involved in funding “urban Naxal” activities. Rao has claimed innocence in the case.
Corrections and clarifications: The story had incorrectly stated that the court in Pune sent Rao to judicial custody. The error has been corrected.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!