HYDERABAD: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at the house of Varavara Rao's nephew and 'Veekshanam' editor N Venugopal early Thursday morning in Himayatnagar.
The raids were reportedly conducted based on information that he is connected with top CPI-Maoist leader Sanjoy Deepak Rao's case.
Searches were conducted at social activist Ravisharma's house in LB Nagar over the same alleged connection.
Following the four-hour raid at his residence, Venugopal stated that he has been a journalist for forty years now and all that he has are books.
He said that NIA officials searched his collection of books ranging from the Mahabharata, literary books, texts on Maoists, research material, letters, and journals. Venugopal said, "The NIA raided my house in connection with the case related to Sanjoy Deepak Rao. I was identified as A-22 in the case. Despite my objections citing a similar ongoing court case where phone confiscation was challenged, the NIA team seized my phone in the raid. A team of eight members came at 5 am and revealed their search warrant when I let them inside."
The senior journalist also added that he had penned down some essays pertaining to the threatening letters that were sent by the now-deceased gangster Nayeemuddin to several individuals in 2013. These materials, along with his phone, were also taken by the NIA during the search.
It can be recalled that Sanjay Deepak Rao was arrested in September 2023 by the Telangana police when he was taking shelter at a film editor’s residence in Kukatpally. His wife Muruvupalli Raji too was simultaneously held by Andhra Pradesh police. Former DGP Anjani Kumar had stated that the duo were wanted by the NIA.
The full details of the NIA raids are yet to be known. They are yet to release an official statement.
Varavara Rao, a revolutionary writer, poet, and activist, was arrested under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2018 claiming his involvement in the Maoist plot to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was granted permanent bail in August 2022. Rao and many other Left-leaning activists were booked in connection with alleged provocative speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017.
The Pune police claimed the conclave was backed by Maoists, and the speeches made there triggered violence near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in Pune district the next day. The NIA later took over the probe into the case.
(With online desk inputs)