'NIA can't label me terrorist without attributing any act of violence'

Academic Anand Teltumbde an accused in the Elgar ParishadMaoists links case told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that the National Investigation Agency NIA had labelled him a terrorist without attributing to him any direct act of violenceTeltumbdes counsel Mihir Desai told the high court that while the NIA had claimed in its charge sheet in the case that Teltumbde was part of terrorist organisations and that he abetted terrorist activities he had not been charged directly for any particular act of violence in the caseFor one to be called a terrorist there must be an act of violence Desai told a bench of Justices S B Shukre and G A SanapHe was arguing on Teltumbdes behalf seeking bail for him in the caseIt is going to be my argument that a terrorist activity involves some type of violence Now it is not even their case that I was involved in any violence In that case you NIA cannot say that I Teltumbde am a terrorist Desai arguedDesai further argued that while the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act UAPA under which Teltumbde and his coaccused have been charged in the case imposed stringent restrictions on geabt of bail the high court must keep in mind several Supreme Court judgements which mandate that an accused must not be kept behind bars endlessly without a trial or in cases where trials went on for longThe trial in the present case is not likely to begin anytime soon he saidAnand Teltumbde has written 16 books on the issue of caste in India He is active in civil rights movements since 35 years Hes reached the zenith in his career as well Desai saidThere are certain letters that have been found by the NIA from the computer of one Rona Wilson coaccused and they apparently say that one Anand was involved in certain antinational activities Desai saidHe argued that while hearing the bail plea the high court will have to consider that even if eventually the authenticity of the said letters was probed in court and they were admitted as evidence would the mere mention of the name Anand be adequate to convict Teltumbde in the caseIf the court feels that I Teltumbde cannot be convicted based on the evidence before the court then I will be entitled to bail Desai saidThe high court will continue hearing the plea further on ThursdayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever