(This story originally appeared in on Nov 16, 2018)

PUNE: The chargesheet filed by Pune police on Thursday alleging a conspiracy to kill the PM has named five underground Maoist operatives, including top outfit leaders Prashant Bose alias Kishanda, Prakash alias Naveen alias Rituparna Goswami and “Comrade M” alias Deepak alias Milind Teltumde, besides Deepu and Mangalu.The Pune police are continuing their investigation against five other activists arrested on August 28 for their alleged links with the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit. Three of them are under judicial custody in Yerawada jail.Pune’s district government pleader Ujjwala Pawar moved the chargesheet on behalf of investigating officer, ACP Shivaji Pawar, before special UAPA judge K D Vadane.In it, cops have alleged that the Maoists supported and funded the Elgar Parishad in Pune on December 31, 2017 as part of a larger conspiracy to create social unrest and overthrow the government.The alleged provocative speeches and inflammatory statements at the Parishad contributed to caste clashes at Koregaon Bhima near Pune on January 1, police said.“Investigations have established that Wilson, along with CPI (Maoist)’s eastern regional bureau (ERB) head Prashant Bose alias Kishanda and other underground operatives, conspired to assassinate the PM,” the chargesheet stated. It also enumerates roles played by Gadling, Dhawale, Wilson, Sen and Raut in “fulfilling the objectives and furthering a larger Maoist conspiracy to create social unrest and overthrow government by way of unlawful activities”.Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham told TOI, “We have filed a 5,160-page chargesheet against 10 people for charges ranging from planning to assassinate lawful authority to being founding members and supporters of the CPI (Maoist); criminal conspiracy; promoting enmity; raising funds for the banned outfit and giving statements causing mischief.”On the state’s appeal in the SC regarding 90-day extension for filing the chargesheet, Venkatesham said, “The proceedings in the SC is independent of what we are doing here. We have filed the chargesheet because we have completed our investigations.”City realtor Tushar Damgude had lodged an FIR on January 8 alleging that speakers had made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements at the Elgar Parishad held at the historic Shaniwarwada on December 31, 2017. Police have stated in the chargesheet that organising the parishad was part of the CPI (Maoist) conspiracy “to divide communities and create unrest by way of distorting history and raising a mass uprising against the government.Focusing on Dalits, minorities, women, students and the oppressed class and influencing them against the government formed a part of this conspiracy.”