A sensational report by Times Now claims that the arrested Maoist, Mahesh Raut, who is under investigation by the Maharashtra Police, had closed links to a former cabinet minister who had served in the UPA government and close to the Gandhi family.
Maoist-Cong ‘link’ deepens. Arrested Maoist linked to UPA Mantri@MeghaSPrasad with more on #MaoistPlotToKillPM pic.twitter.com/eTVPbIMd0t
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) June 8, 2018
Without naming the former minister, the report claims Raut, who was believed to be a Naxal sympathiser, was also allegedly a courier who would collect funds from the jungle and providing it to advocate Surendra Gadling, who was also recently arrested in connection to the Bhima-Koregaon riots. As per Times Now claims, Raut was arrested because police had enough evidence against him. In a raid undertaken by the investigators on 17th April this year, various incriminating letters were found, including one which talked about a ‘Rajiv Gandhi style incident’ as a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Modi.
Raut, reportedly, is accused of ferrying money and being part of the riots that took place earlier this year. His links with former government minister were already known by the police, claims Times Now. Raut was also former Prime Minister Rural Development fellow, an initiative of the Government of India’s Rural Development Ministry implemented in collaboration with state governments. Raut, reportedly, used this to penetrate inside the jungles.
It is reported that an attempt to apprehend Raut in 2012 by the Police was dropped because a call from the top.
Currently Raut is being questioned regarding money supply between the Maoists and the ‘urban Maoists’ and the former Congress minister’s role is likely to be probed.
