No hard disk in Kobad’s laptop

|NEW DELHI: The laptop seized from CPI (Maoist) politburo member Kobad Ghandy (58) does not contain a hard disk. The Delhi Police special cell and
Andhra Police, who hoped to learn more about attacks being planned by the naxals following Ghandy’s arrest on September 22, have now hit a wall.

The laptop was sent for forensic tests which revealed that the device did not contain a hard disk and therefore, no information could be obtained from it. “It is possible that the hard disk of the laptop was taken away by Ghandy’s accomplice who was staying with him in the Badarpur area,” an official said. The Delhi Police plans to seek his remand on Wednesday for further questioning. Cops claimed that Ghandy was in Delhi for treatment of prostrate cancer.

Police alleged that Ghandy is part of the conspiracy of major naxal strikes in India. “He is one of the top members of CPI (Maoist) and his arrest will affect naxal operations in north India. We have learnt about his involvement in the Nayagarh naxal attack in February 2008 in which 14 policemen were killed. They took away arms and ammunition worth several crores of rupees from the police stations and police training college,” said a senior Andhra Pradesh police official.

Sources also claimed that Ghandy had been liaising with revolutionary parties in various countries and authored a document titled Post Election Situation – Our Tasks seized by security agencies from a laptop. “Ghandy is also believed to have ordered the attack on policemen in Rajnandgaon in Chhatisgarh in July this year. In this attack 30 policemen including a superintendent of police were killed,” said an official.

“His role in major naxals attack can be gauged from the fact that he is part of the politburo which has only nine members. These members are tasked to plan such large operations without any direct involvement. In their language it is referred to as tactical counter offensive campaign (TCOC) which is aimed at gaining stronghold in areas where they strike,” explained a senior official from Andhra Pradesh’s intelligence wing.

The police also added that to prove that Ghandy conspired in these attacks will be a herculean task as there is no direct involvement of Ghandy in these cases. “He was the member of central committee of CPI (Maoist) which mainly looked into planning and execution and were never involved in direct action,” said a AP cop. TOI

The police also said Ghandy had been diagnosed with prostrate cancer a year ago around the same time his wife Anuradha was suffering from malaria. The couple had been underground since the 1980s. Anuradha later died due to cerebral malaria.