The National Investigation Agency (NIA) sent legal notices to two relatives of Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao, currently in custody over a case filed in connection with Elgar Parishad. The relatives were identified as two of Rao’s son-in-laws.
One of the arrested is K. Satyanarayana, a professor at the city-based English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), whereas the other son-in-law, is a journalist with an English business daily. The duo was served with notice to appear for questioning on September 9. The Maharashtra police had earlier conducted raids at the residence of Satyanarayana in August 2018. He however has claimed to have no connection with the ongoing case.
The notice stated that their presence was needed to answer a series of questions in connection with the ongoing probe. The duo has also been asked to appear with certain documents which are stated to be related with the case and the ongoing investigation.
“It is a fact that I am related to Varavara Rao but I reiterate that I have no connection with the case. NIA notice adds to our family distress at a time when Varavara Rao’s health condition is not very good and the (Covid-19) pandemic is fast spreading in Mumbai,” claimed Satyanarayana, in a statement.
The Maharashtra police arrested Varavara Rao and nine other activists in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case which was initially probed by the Pune police and transferred to the NIA in January this year. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune in December 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.
