SC denies bail to woman advocate accused of Maoist recruitment

The Supreme Court noted that the case involved grave allegations relating to the radicalisation and recruitment of young women into a proscribed terrorist organisation

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the bail plea of a woman advocate accused of influencing and recruiting young women into the banned CPI (Maoist), underscoring the gravity of the allegations and directing that the trial in the case be concluded within four months.

The bench declined to grant bail, observing that there was no reason to interfere at this stage while the trial was moving swiftly. (HT Print)

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta took note of the submission made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that the trial was progressing expeditiously and was likely to be completed within three months. Recording this assurance, the bench directed that the trial be brought to a logical conclusion within a maximum period of four months.

Additional solicitor general SD Sanjay, appearing for the NIA, highlighted the seriousness of the charges against the accused, Chukka Shilpa, a practising advocate of the high court and an alleged member of Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS), which the agency has described as a frontal organisation of the banned CPI (Maoist). Shilpa was arrested from her residence in Hyderabad in June 2022 and has remained in custody since then.

The Supreme Court noted that the case involved grave allegations relating to the radicalisation and recruitment of young women into a proscribed terrorist organisation. In view of the nature of the accusations and the advanced stage of the trial, the bench declined to grant bail, observing that there was no reason to interfere at this stage while the trial was moving swiftly.

The case has its origins in a complaint filed by the mother of a young nursing student, Radha, who has been missing since 2017. According to the prosecution, Radha was allegedly influenced and radicalised by members of CMS, including Shilpa, under the guise of social work. The NIA, in a charge sheet filed in December 2022, alleged that CMS functioned as a feeder organisation, identifying and grooming young women before channeling them into the CPI (Maoist).

Shilpa was taken into custody in June 2022 after searches were conducted in connection with the case, which was initially registered by the Peddabayalu police station in Visakhapatnam and later taken over by the NIA. The agency has alleged that Radha was forcibly taken away in December 2017 on the pretext of providing medical assistance to someone and was subsequently inducted into the banned organisation.

In December 2022, the NIA filed a chargesheet before the NIA Special Court in Vijayawada against five accused, including Shilpa, alleging offences under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The agency claimed that its investigation revealed a pattern in which “gullible young girls” were attracted to CMS through social outreach activities and, depending on their perceived commitment, were later recruited into the CPI (Maoist). The chargesheet also referred to attempts to recruit several other young women apart from Radha.

Shilpa’s bail plea had earlier been rejected by the NIA Special Court in May 2024. In March this year, the Andhra Pradesh High Court also declined to grant bail to her and co-accused Dongari Devendra, after finding prima facie material indicating their role in influencing and recruiting women into the banned outfit. The high court had relied on statements of Radha’s family members and the findings of the NIA investigation, concluding that the seriousness of the allegations did not warrant the grant of bail.