'Rioting cases against Maharashtra right-wing leader dropped': RTI activist

Mumbai/Pune: Maharashtra government dropped a decade old three cases against Sambhaji Bhide, claims a Mumbai-based Right to Information (RTI) activist.

Bhide, also a suspect in this year's Bhima Koregaon violence, is the founder of Shri Shivpratishthan, Hindusthan that identifies itself a cultural organisation.

Activist Shakeel Ahmed Sheikh, who filed the RTI in the matter, stated that after coming to power in 2014, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government withdrew three cases against Bhide, which were filed 2008 for allegedly vandalising cinema halls screening the movie ‘Jodhaa Akbar’.

Earlier this year, Sheikh filed the RTI seeking information on the number of cases withdrawn against politicians, their party workers and a common man.

"I filed an RTI on March 4 to seek information on how many cases against political leaders and their supporters were withdrawn since 2008. Three cases against Bhima Koregaon violence accused Sambhaji Bhide were withdrawn and nine cases against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena leaders were withdrawn," the activist said.

Sheikh further alleged that most of the people, whose cases were withdrawn by the state government since 2014 till now, were accused of rioting and damaging public property.

Meanwhile, Pune Superintendent of Police (SP) Sandeep Patil said, "No charges against Bhide and others have been removed so far in Bhima Koregaon violence case and the investigation is still in progress."

Earlier this year, Bhide allegedly instigated violence during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima Koregaon battle. During the clashes in the Pune district on January 01, one person was killed, while many others were left injured.

Bhide, however, had denied the allegations.