Koregaon-Bhima accused Milind Ekbote detained by police after SC rejects anticipatory bail plea

Pune: Milind Ekbote, the president of Samast Hindu Aghadi organisation, and main accused in the Koregaon-Bhima violence of January 1 this year, was detained by the Pune rural police ocal crime branch (LCB) soon after his pre-arrest bail application was rejected by the Supreme Court on Wednesday noon. 

Last month, while extending interim relief from arrest to Ekbote till March 14, SC had asked the Maharashtra government why he had not been arrested earlier. The apex court also directed the police to conduct inquiries with Ekbote and submit an affidavit about the progress of the case related to violence.

Accordingly he had appeared before the Shikrapur police station, where the FIR is registered, and was questioned for several hours. Police submitted a report before the apex court and opposed his anticipatory bail application.  

A case was registered against Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, for allegedly ‘inciting’ violence that left a man dead near Koregaon-Bhima on January 1. The FIR was registered with Shikrapur police station under Pune rural police.

Anita Sawale (30) of Kalewadi had lodged a complaint on January 2 with Pimpri police station and the case was transferred to Pune rural police as the incident had taken place in their jurisdiction. She alleged that the duo had incited people who had attacked those who had gathered at Vijay Stambh at Koregaon-Bhima, about 20 km from Pune on the Ahmednagar highway, to celebrate 200 years of the famous battle there. One person had died and several others were injured while properties worth crores of rupees were damaged in the riots.