Sharad Pawar likely to appear before Koregaon Bhima probe panel on Feb 23

The KoregaonBhima Inquiry Commission has asked NCP chief Sharad Pawar to appear before it on February 23 and 24 to record evidence in connection with the January 2018 violence at a war memorial in Pune district of MaharashtraThe panel had earlier summoned Pawar in 2020 but he couldnt appear before it due to the coronavirusinduced lockdownApart from Sharad Pawar the commission will also record the evidence of the then superintendent of police Pune Rural Suvez Haq then Additional SP Sandip Pakhale and the then Additional Commissioner Pune Ravindra Sengaonkar between February 21 and February 25 the judicial commissions advocate Ashish Satpute said on WednesdayThe twomember probe commission of retired chief justice of the Calcutta High Court J N Patel and former Maharashtra chief secretary Sumit Mullick is conducting a probe into the matterAccording to the Pune police violence had broken out on January 1 2018 between caste groups near the war memorial during the bicentennial anniversary of the 1818 battle of Koregaon BhimaDalit organisations commemorate the victory of the East India Company over the Peshwas of Pune in the battle because the British forces according to some historical accounts mainly included soldiers from the oppressed Mahar community But some rightwing organisations had opposed the celebration leading to the violence in 2018 One person had died and several others including 10 police personnel were injured in the incidentThe Pune Police had alleged that provocative speeches at the Elgar Parishad conclave held on December 31 2017 in Pune triggered the violence around Koregaon BhimaAccording to the police the Elgar Parishad conclave organisers had links with MaoistsThe NCP chief had filed an affidavit before the commission on October 8 2018In February 2020 social group Vivek Vichar Manch member Sagar Shinde filed an application before the commission seeking the summoning of Sharad Pawar in view of certain statements made by him in the media about the 2018 caste violence In his plea Shinde cited a press conference of PawarAs per the application of Shinde at the pressmeet Pawar alleged that rightwing activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had created a different atmosphere in Koregaon Bhima and its vicinityIn the same press conference Pawar also alleged that the role of Pune city police commissioner is doubtful and must be investigated These statements are within the purview of the terms of reference of this commission and therefore they are relevant Shinde had said in the pleaThe applicant had also said he had reasons to believe Pawar has relevant and additional information apart from what he has already shared in his earlier affidavit filed before the panel regarding the violence and other related mattersIn his affidavit Pawar had stated that it was unfortunate that the state government BJP was in power at the time of the violence and law and enforcement authorities failed to protect the interest of the common man residing at Koregaon Bhima and its vicinityThis 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