He was accosted and then arrested from the domestic terminal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport around 3.30 a.m. by the police team waiting for him. They whisked him off to Pune.

He is likely to be produced before a court later in the day.

Teltumbde, who teaches at the Goa Institute of Management, had filed for anticipatory bail in a Pune Sessions Court. However, it was rejected on Friday paving way for the police action.

He has been charged of having links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and also with the Elgaar Parishad, which allegedly triggered the January 1, 2018 caste riots and violence in Koregaon-Bhima in Pune.

Left groups and activists in Maharashtra cried foul and claimed Teltumbde's arrest was "illegal" as it was allegedly executed by the police despite the Supreme Court's 'protection from arrest' granted to the activist till February 14.