Sagar Tatyarao Gorakhe

Extra Bio Info:

Sagar Tatyarao Gorakhe is detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On September 7, 2020, the National Investigation Agency arrested Gorakhe, a human rights defender and member of the Kabir Kala Manch cultural troupe. Gorakhe was charged alongside several other prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, whom authorities accused of inciting caste-based violence through speeches on December 31, 2017, that resulted in violent clashes the next day in Bhima Koregaon and neighboring villages in Maharashtra state. Authorities also accused them of having ties to banned Maoist groups. Gorakhe was reportedly charged under various sections of the Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In August 2021, the National Investigation Agency submitted draft charges to a special court in Mumbai, claiming that Gorakhe and others accused in the case were active members of the banned terrorist organization Communist Party of India. It also alleged that the accused wanted to establish a “janta sarkar” “via revolution supported by a commitment to protracted armed struggle to undermine and to seize power from the state.” The accused were charged with over a dozen offenses including, "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), public mischief (Sec. 505(1)(B) IPC), “waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India” (Sec. 121 IPC), “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state (Sec. 121A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and several sections under UAPA.

Gorakhe reportedly contracted COVID-19 while in prison.

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