Tag: Koregaon Bhima Case

Maharashtra Government Holds Meeting to Review Bhima Koregaon Case

Several high profile figures in the new government have demanded that the action taken by the police should be reinvestigated.

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and home minister Anil Deshmukh met senior police officials in Mumbai on Thursday to review the Koregaon Bhima violence case to decide if a reinvestigation is required into the action taken by the police.

Last month, NCP chief Sharad Pawar demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be set up under a retired judge to probe the action taken by Pune Police in the case. NCP leader Deshmukh, after taking charge as home minister, said earlier this month that he would seek a status report on the case and then make a decision.

The violence was reported on January 1, 2018, when members of Dalit-Bahujan groups and anti-caste activists were commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle near Pune. While those injured in the attacks have claimed that the violence was instigated by some Hindutva groups, the Pune Police have arrested several activists and rights lawyers.

The term “urban Naxal” was used by the Pune Police while probing the alleged links between the Elgar Parishad conclave of December 31, 2017, and the caste clashes around Bhima-Koregaon the next day. The police have also claimed that the arrested activists were planning an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also read: Bhima Koregaon: Amid Demands For Fresh Probe, A Hard Look at the Case’s Discrepancies

While some rights activists were arrested in the case by the Pune city police, their rural counterparts had booked Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide for allegedly inciting violence. Ekbote was granted bail by the Supreme Court, while Bhide was never arrested.

In the past month, the state’s home department officials have met Pune police on several occasions to discuss the investigation into the case.

While the police have claimed that the activists and lawyers arrested in the case have been involved in planning and execution of violence that broke out on January 1, 2018, at Bhima Koregaon, several news reports – including those reported by The Wire – have pointed at the discrepancies in the investigations and possible tampering of the evidence that the police have relied upon.

The newly formed government, especially the NCP leaders, have been vocal in support of the arrested activists and have announced their willingness to take another look at the investigation. NCP leader and state cabinet minister for housing Jitendra Awhad had raised the issue in the winter assembly session and had accused the Pune police of working at the behest of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. NCP chief Sharad Pawar too in a press conference at Pune sought a fresh probe.

According to sources in the state home department, the meeting lasted for a few hours and the Pune police, including chief investigating officer ACP Shivaji Pawar, made a detailed presentation to home minister Anil Deshmukh. “The minister is yet to decide if the case needs reinvestigation or supervision. This decision will be taken soon,” said a senior leader.

(With PTI inputs)

On 202nd Anniversary, Koregaon Bhima War Memorial Draws Lakhs of People

Internet services in and around Koregaon Bhima remained suspended for the day.

Pune: Two years after caste clashes marred the Koregaon Bhima battle commemoration event in Pune district of Maharashtra, at least 8 lakh people on Wednesday visited the “Jaystambh” (victory pillar) in Perne village on the occasion of the 202nd anniversary of the historic battle in a peaceful manner amidst heavy security.

No untoward incident was reported throughout the day at the event which passed off peacefully, officials said.

As a precautionary measure, Internet services in and around Koregaon Bhima remained suspended for the day. Services were resumed in the evening.

“The entire program of commemoration took place as per our plans. We wanted this entire event to be free of any dispute or incident, and it happened as per the plans,” Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram said.

Police officials put the number of people who have visited the victory pillar at 8 lakh.

Elaborate security was also maintained at historic Vadhu Budruk village, located near Perne.

The district administration and police officials held a string of meetings with villagers in the area over the last one month to put in place the confidence-building measures to ensure peaceful commemoration of the 202nd anniversary of the January 1, 1818 battle.

In the early morning, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar, Union minister Ramdas Athawale and several other leaders visited the ‘Jay Stambh’.

Violent clashes had broken out in the area around Koregaon Bhima on the 200th anniversary of the historic battle on January 1, 2018, in which one person was killed and several others were injured.

Also read: Bhima Koregaon: Amid Demands For Fresh Probe, A Hard Look at the Case’s Discrepancies

Pune Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil said local residents cooperated with officials to ensure that the event passes off peacefully.

Smarter by the previous experience, police had made elaborate security arrangements in the area.

“Apart from a large number of police personnel, companies of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), teams of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) were deployed in the area,” a police official said, adding that drone cameras were also used to monitor the crowd.

As part of preparations, ample space was provided for installing stalls where various souvenirs and other items were sold, he said.

Talking to reporters after visiting the victory pillar, Ajit Pawar said he offered tributes on behalf of the people of Maharashtra.

“This pillar has history and every year lakhs of people come here. Some untoward incidents took place two years ago, but the government is taking utmost care and elaborate police bandobast has been made here to ensure that no untoward incident takes place,” he said.

Pawar urged people visiting the site to maintain peace.

“I appeal to people to come here and offer their tributes, but also maintain peace and do not believe in rumours,” the senior NCP leader said.

As per the Dalit narrative, around 500 soldiers from the Dalit Mahar caste, who were part of the British Army, defeated forces of Peshwas (who were Brahmins), in the 1818 battle.

Every year, lakhs of people, especially Dalits and those from Ambedkarite movement, visit the Jaystambh on January 1 to pay their respects.

Pawar said Maharashtra has a tradition of maintaining peace and harmony.

“This particular area has history of valour and bravery. Similarly, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj also had a connection with this land and the youth should take inspiration from the valour showcased by those who sacrificed their lives in the battle and go ahead in their life,” he said.

Also read: Bhima Koregaon: NCP Leaders Ask Thackeray to Withdraw Cases Against Activists

Meanwhile, Prakash Ambedkar claimed that some people had tried to spark trouble during the ongoing congregation, but the new government has foiled their intentions.

He expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements around Koregaon Bhima.

When asked about the 2017 Elgaar Parishad case and NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s recent demand to withdraw cases against activists in connection with the 2018 Koregaon Bhima incident, Ambedkar said the stand of all the three ruling constituents- Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress- in the state government is of cooperation, which is welcoming.

Union minister and RPI (A) chief Athawale also praised the district administration for making “good arrangements”.

Addressing a meeting in Perne village, Athwale demanded the implementation of the Koregaon Bhima development plan.

“As lots of people visit the memorial, there is a need of facilities to the visiting people in and around Koregaon Bhima and that is why there is a need of implementation of development plan of the village,” he said.

He also said that some people are inciting Muslims on the issue of CAA and NRC by distorting facts.

Last week, Pune Police had issued notices to several people, including right-wing leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, and members of Kabir Kala Manch, barring them from entering the district for four days from December 29.

The notices, as part of preventive action, were issued to all those against whom cases were registered in connection with the violence two years ago.

Ekbote was arrested in March 2018 for allegedly instigating and orchestrating the violence around Koregaon Bhima.

Also read: A Year Later, Rights Activists Accused in Bhima Koregaon Case Struggle for Bail

Bhide was also booked and named in the FIR, but never arrested.

The police attributed the 2018 violence to the Elgaar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, where provocative speeches were allegedly made.

Police are also probing the alleged “Maoist link” of some activists who had attended the conclave.

Bhima Koregaon: SC Extends Gautam Navlakha’s Protection from Arrest Till October 15

The apex court directed the Maharashtra government to place before it the material collected during the ongoing investigation against Navlakha.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday extended till October 15,the interim protection from arrest granted by the Bombay high court to civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.

The apex court directed the Maharashtra government to place before it the material collected during the ongoing investigation against Navlakha in connection with the case.

While agreeing to hear Navlakha’s plea challenging the Bombay high court order refusing to quash the FIR lodged against him, a bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta said that it would hear the arguments on October 15.

The Maharashtra government had earlier filed a caveat in the matter seeking to be heard before any orders are passed.

On September 13, the high court had refused to quash the FIR lodged against him in the 2017 Koregaon-Bhima case and for having alleged Maoist links, noting that there was prima facie substance in the case.

“Considering the magnitude of the case, we feel a thorough investigation is required,” it had said.

The high court had, however, extended the protection from arrest to Navlakha for three weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court to file an appeal against its order.

The FIR was lodged against Navlakha and others by the Pune Police in January 2018 after the Elgar Parishad held on December 31, 2017 that had allegedly triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in Pune district the next day.

The police has also alleged that Navlakha and other accused in the case had Maoist links and were working towards overthrowing the government.

Navlakha and the other accused were booked under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code.

Besides Navlakha, four others — Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Sudha Bharadwaj, are accused in the case.

Koregaon-Bhima Case: Entire SC Bench Recuses From Hearing Gautam Navlakha’s Plea

On Monday, CJI Ranjan Gogoi had recused himself from hearing the case.

New Delhi: The entire bench of Supreme Court judges, including Justice B.R. Gavai, N.V. Ramana and R. Subhash Reddy, recused themselves on Tuesday from hearing a plea filed by civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha, reported Bar & Bench.

Navlakha is challenging the Bombay high court order that refused to quash an FIR lodged against him in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case.

Justice Gavai’s recusal came a day after Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had recused himself from hearing Navlakha’s plea, which came up on Tuesday.

The apex court said his plea would come up for hearing before another bench on October 3.

The Maharashtra government had earlier filed a caveat in the matter seeking to be heard before any orders are passed.

On September 13, the high court had refused to quash the FIR lodged against him in the 2017 Koregaon-Bhima case and for having alleged Maoist links, noting that there was prima facie substance in the case.

The high court had said, “Considering the magnitude of the case, we feel a thorough investigation is required”.

Also read: ‘Knowledge Deemed Crime Against the State’: Students, Professors Stand With Hany Babu

The high court had however extended the protection from arrest to Navlakha for a period of three weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court to file an appeal against its order.

The FIR was lodged against Navlakha and others by the Pune Police in January 2018 after the Elgar Parishad held on December 31, 2017 that had allegedly triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in Pune district the next day.

The police has also alleged that Navlakha and other accused in the case had Maoist links and were working towards overthrowing the government.

Navlakha and the other accused were booked under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code.

Besides Navlakha, four others: Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Sudha Bharadwaj, are accused in the case.

(With PTI inputs)

Bhima Koregaon Case: CJI Gogoi Recuses From Himself Hearing Gautam Navlakha’s Plea

The FIR was lodged against Navlakha and others by Pune police in January last year.

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, on Monday, recused himself from hearing a plea filed by civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha challenging the Bombay high court order refusing to quash the FIR lodged against him in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case.

“List the matter before a bench in which I am not the party”, the Chief Justice said. The matter was listed before a bench of Chief Justice and Justices S.A. Bobde and S. Abdul Nazeer.

The Maharashtra government had filed a caveat in the matter seeking to be heard before any orders are passed. On September 13, the high court had refused to quash the FIR lodged against him in the 2017 Koregaon-Bhima violence and for having alleged Maoist links, noting that there was prima facie substance in the case. The high court had said, “Considering the magnitude of the case, we feel a thorough investigation is required”.

Also read: Bhima Koregaon Case: Pune Police Raid Delhi University Professor Hany Babu’s House

The FIR was lodged against Navlakha and others by the Pune Police in January 2018 after the Elgar Parishad, held on December 31, 2017, had allegedly triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in Pune district the next day. The police had also alleged that Navlakha and other accused in the case had Maoist links and were working towards overthrowing the government.

The high court had, however, extended the protection from arrest to Navlakha for a period of three weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court in appeal against the HC order.

Navlakha and the other accused were booked under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code. Besides Navlakha, four others – Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Sudha Bharadwaj, are accused in the case.

Bhima Koregaon Case: Pune Police Raid Delhi University Professor Hany Babu’s House

Babu told ‘The Wire’ that police did not seem to have a search warrant.

Mumbai: A team of Pune police conducted raids on Delhi University associate professor Hany Babu M.T.’s residence for more than six hours in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case on Tuesday, September 10. The police team, comprising more than 12 personnel, reached Babu’s Noida house at around 6 am.

Babu, his wife Jenny Rowena who teaches at Miranda House, and their school-going daughter were home at the time of the raid. Babu told The Wire that all three were held in the house during the raids and were not allowed to contact anyone or step out of the house while it went on.

Babu also said police had conducted the raid without a warrant. “They knocked at my door at around 6 am. They said they wanted to enquire about the Bhima Koregaon case which they are investigating. My laptop, mobile phones, two booklets printed for the G.N. Saibaba defence committee, and two books were confiscated,” he said.

The two books include Yalavarthi Naveen Babu’s From Varna to Jati:Political Economy of Caste in Indian Social Formation and Understanding Maoists: Notes of a Participant Observer from Andhra Pradesh by N. Venugopal. 

Babu has also been barred from accessing his email and other social media handles. “And all this was done without an official search warrant,” said Rowena.


The Wire has tried to contact Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, who is the head of the investigation, but several calls and text messages went unanswered.

Also read: Police Raid Father Stan Swamy’s House Again, Take Email, Facebook Details

Babu is a vocal anti-caste crusader and an active member of the committee formed for the defence of G.N. Saibaba, a Delhi University professor who was convicted for his alleged links with the Maoist movement. Saibaba, who is over 90% disabled is at present serving a life term at the Nagpur Central Jail. 

The academic is well-known for his work on caste oppression, linguistics and the government’s suppression of dissent in universities. His articles include ‘Breaking the Chaturvarna System of Languages‘, ‘Converging struggles and diverging interests: A look at the recent unrest in universities‘ and ‘Unequal rights: Freedom, equality, life and liberty of citizens and “others”‘.

Babu said that since he is an active member of the human rights movement in the country, he had, on several occasions, been in touch with prisoners’ rights activist Rona Wilson and Surendra Gadling, a UAPA expert and lawyer from Nagpur. Both Wilson and Gadling were arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence of January 1, 2018. Police have claimed that the arrested were involved in the Maoist movement and have been a part of what they call “urban Naxalism”.

“I kept asking them what was all this about. Police said they are looking for leads in the ongoing investigation into the Bhima Koregaon case and that while I have not been named as an accused so far, I am a suspect. They were not ready to divulge anything more,” Babu said.

Babu said that although he found it strange that police had landed at his residence, he said he was not surprised at all. “The way police have been targeting activists and intellectuals in the country, I was not surprised. If not me, they would have gone after someone else,” he added. 

In the evening, on Tuesday, Babu tweeted a statement on the raid, which in addition to what he had told The Wire, contained the essential plea that a considerable portion of several years’ worth of his work as a teacher and researcher was saved in the hard disks police had confiscated.


The Delhi University Teachers’ Association has released a statement condemning the raid. Signed by president Rajib Ray, the release notes Babu’s prowess as a teacher of great calibre and a social justice warrior as well. “Such raids without search warrants are against the very essence of democracy, individual freedom, and open the door for planting evidence,” it notes.

Others arrested in connection with the case include Sudhir Dhawale, a writer and Mumbai-based Dalit rights activist, Mahesh Raut, a young activist from Gadchiroli who worked on displacement, Shoma Sen, who had been head of the English literature department at Nagpur University, advocate Arun Ferreira, advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, writer Varavara Rao and former academic Vernon Gonsalves. 

Also read: Allowing the State to Designate Someone as a ‘Terrorist’ Without Trial is Dangerous

In November last year, police filed its first chargesheet in the case, which ran over 5,000 pages and in which it claimed that those arrested had “active links” with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and had helped organise the ‘Elgar Parishad’ of December 31, 2017, under the banner of the ‘Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerana Abhiyan’ in Pune.

The police’s case is that this cultural gathering in Pune’s Shaniwarwada area, known to be a predominantly Brahmin hub, had incited Dalit youth across Maharashtra against the Bharatiya Janata Party and ‘Brahmin-oriented Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’, leading to violent retaliation across the state. The speeches given at the Elgar Parishad were allegedly inflammatory, and carried the intention of “harming the democratic fabric of the country”.

The supplementary chargesheet filed early this year accused the remaining accused of participating in the crime and additionally named fugitive Maoist leader Ganapathy as the mastermind behind the Elgar Parishad.

Last year in August, Pune police had conducted similar raids at the residence of professor K. Satyanarayana at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) campus in Hyderabad. Ranchi-based rights activist Stan Swamy’s house was also raided on two separate occasions. Like Babu, Satyanarayana and Swamy too had not been charged in the case when these raids were conducted. But in close similarity, police also collected electronic gadgets and books from their respective residences. 

Among others named in the FIR but who are yet to be arrested are rights activist Gautam Navlakha and professor Anand Teltumbde. Both have secured protection against arrest at the high court. Police have challenged the orders.  

Note: This story was edited to include the statements by Babu and DUTA.

Bhima Koregaon: SC to Hear Maharashtra Govt’s Plea Challenging Bombay HC Order

The Bombay high court had quashed the lower court’s decision by which the Maharashtra Police was granted more time to conclude the investigation.

New Delhi: The Maharashtra government on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay high court order by which the extension of time granted to state police to conclude the probe into the Bhima Koregaon violence was set aside.

The high court on Wednesday had quashed the lower court’s decision by which the Maharashtra police was granted more time to conclude the investigation and file the chargesheet against lawyer Surendra Gadling and others in the case. Several rights activist had been accused of instigating the violence.

Also read: Activists Arrest: Bombay HC Sets Aside Pune Court Order, Paves Way For Chance of Bail

The Pune police arrested Gadling, Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen, Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, activist Mahesh Raut and Kerala native Rona Wilson in June for their alleged links with Maoists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The arrests had followed raids at their residences and offices in connection with the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31 last year, which, the police had claimed, had led to violence at Bhima Koregaon the next day.

The police had also alleged that the conclave had the support of Maoists.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi considered the submissions of lawyer Nishant Katneshwar, appearing for the Maharashtra government, that the appeal needed to be heard on an urgent basis.

The lawyer said if the high court order is not stayed, then accused would become entitled for grant of statutory bail for want of non-filing of chargesheet within the stipulated period.

The bench, which also comprises Justices S.K. Kaul and K.M. Joseph, said the appeal of the Maharashtra government would be heard on October 26.

Under the UAPA, a chargesheet must be filed within 90 days of arrest. However, the prosecutor can file a report before the trial court, explaining the reasons for a delay, and seek more time. If satisfied, the court can extend the time by 90 days.

Also read: Why Justice Chandrachud Thinks an SIT, Not Maha Police, Should Probe Bhima Koregaon Case

In the present case, the Pune sessions court had granted the police the additional 90 days, following an application from the investigating officer (IO) and written submissions by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP).

Gadling challenged this, saying the report and the submissions came from the police, not the prosecutor. Under the Act, the report should be filed by the prosecutor, he said.

The petition filed in the top court by the state government said the investigating officer had filed an application in the trial court under his signature giving reasons for extension of time on August 30, 2018.

“On the very same day, the public prosecutor submitted her report/application carving out the grounds for extension of time.The public prosecutor, by way of abundant precaution, took signature of the investigating officer. But the High Court was carried away by the fact of signature of the investigating officer and arrived at a conclusion that the report/application was not by the public prosecutor,” the plea said.

It said the high court should not have been carried away by the fact of mentioning of names of the parties in detail.

(PTI)