NEW DELHI: After Hany Babu MT, the National Investigation Agency has interrogated two Delhi University professors, P K Vijayan and Rakesh Ranjan, in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case. Family members of the professors said NIA officials visited their house on Thursday afternoon and issued a summon to join the investigation on Friday at the agency’s headquarters.
“The NIA officials came yesterday and asked to join them in the investigation. We were confused why they had been called for interrogation. Later we came to know they had been summoned for questioning in the Bhima Koregaon case,” said Karen Gabiriel, Vijayan’s wife. “The government is using the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity for witch-hunting of innocent people.
The government is out to destroy the career and reputation of people. Whoever speaks against the government policy or work for the society, they are targeting.” While Vijayan is an assistant professor of English at the Hindu College, Ranjan is a professor of economics at the Shri Ram College of Commerce. According to some DU teachers, both the professors were part of a defence committee formed to defend G N Saibaba, who was arrested last year for having links with Maoist groups.
A group of teachers and students from Left organisations such as the Bhagat Singh Ekta Manch and the All India Student Association have started an online protest against the arrest of Hany Babu. Menawhile, a group of students who were protesting on Thursday demanding the release of the arrested professor were detained by the Delhi Police and an FIR was also registered against them.
Twelve people arrested so far
Besides questioning lawyers, activists and academics in connection with the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, the federal agency has arrested 12 people so far.