Bhima-Koregaon probe: Activist seeks CM summon

Mumbai: A two-member judicial commission, set up to probe the Koregaon Bhima violence at Pune began its proceedings by recording evidence of a witness, even as an activist urged that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis be summoned before the panel.

A 40-year-old graphics designer from Thane district deposed as a witness and told the commission on Wednesday that she was among those injured in the violence. During the cross-examination by right wing leader Milind Ekbote’s lawyer Nitin Pradhan, the woman said, “She was among those injured in stone-pelting on a bus. Ekbote is one of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. “

Before the commission began its proceedings, a social activist, Sanjay Lakhe Patil, filed an application seeking the panel to summon Mr Fadnavis to appear before it. Mr Patil’s counsel B.A. Desai told the commission, headed by former Calcutta high court chief Justice J.N. Patel, that Mr Fadnavis held the Home portfolio and hence, the panel should also record his evidence. Mr Desai relied on the state government’s affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, alleging that Ekbote was responsible for the violence. “CM should be summoned by the commission for examination,” said Mr Desai.

The panel, however, refused to pass any order and asked Mr Patil to present prima facie evidence against Mr Fadnavis after which it would consider the application.

Violence had occurred on December 31, 2017 at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune in which one person was killed. The government had set up the commission in February this year to inquire into the violence. The commission will probe the sequence of events that led to the violence and suggest measures to further avoid such incidents.