In October 2018, Pawar had filed his affidavit before the commission wherein he had not made any allegations against Hindutva leaders Bhide and Ekbote. He had also not raised any doubts about Pune city police probe in Elgaar Parishad case.
The Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry Monday said it may call Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar for deposing before it in the matter.
Advocate Ashish Satpute, the lawyer for the commission, confirmed that justice (retired) J N Patel, chairman of the commission, said that Pawar has already filed an affidavit in the matter and will be called. Patel made the reference while speaking about an application filed by advocate Pradeep Gawade, representing a witness, Sagar Shinde, on February 20, praying that summons be issued to Pawar to depose before the commission.
Gawade stated that in a press conference on February 18, Pawar had raised doubts about the Pune City Police probe into the Elgaar Parishad case and had also alleged that Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had created a different atmosphere at Koregaon Bhima and its vicinity on the backdrop of January 1, 2018 violence.
In his application, Gawade prayed to the commission that in the interest of justice summons be issued to Pawar and he is asked to depose before the commission in person and “furnish any additional information he has so that the commission can arrive at its findings in a just and fair manner”.
In October 2018, Pawar had filed his affidavit before the commission wherein he had not made any allegations against Hindutva leaders Bhide and Ekbote. He had also not raised any doubts about Pune city police probe in Elgaar Parishad case.
On Monday, Gawade submitted a video of the NCP chief’s press conference before the commission, along with a video of Elgaar Parishad case accused, Sudhir Dhawale, from a “Bhima Koregaon Shauryadin Prerna Abhiyan” programme in Aurangabad. In the video, Dhawale is allegedly seen inciting people to create violence just a few days before the Koregaon Bhima riots. In this video, Dhawale is purportedly heard saying that they were allegedly branded as Naxalites by the previous NCP and Congress government in the state.
The state government recently granted a “final extension” of two months to the commission till April 8. The Home department communication in this regard stated that the commission should submit its report to the state government within this extended period. Sources from the commission said that schedule for the examination of witness has been done and so it was unlikely that Pawar will be summoned for deposition before April 8.
Meanwhile, advocate Satpute said that following an application made by Sanjay Lakhe Patil, the commission Monday passed an order that Dalit leader Jogendra Kawade will be called again for cross-examination regarding a speech made by then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Koregaon Bhima violence issue in state legislative Assembly and Council (in 2018).
Meanwhile, IPS officer Lakhmi Gautam was cross-examined by advocate B G Bansode Monday before the two-member commission, which is probing into the causes of Koregaon Bhima violence, in which one person had died and several others were left injured.