Not appropriate to transfer Elgar case to NIA, says Pawar

Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday reiterated that it was not appropriate to transfer the Elgar Parishad case to the National Investigation Agency. Mr Pawar alleged that the Centre had handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as the Devendra Fadnavis government wanted to hide something.

The veteran Maratha politician had earlier demanded to set up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case, in which human rights activists have been arrested for alleged links with Maoists.

Then former Union minister said that the subject of law and order is with state as per the Cons-titution of India, which has already initiated the probe into the matter. “Transferring the concerned incident to the NIA means that they want to hide something as when the incident occur-red Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister of the state. I think it is not appropriate,” the NCP chief told reporters in Jalgaon.

The former Union minister also said that altho-ugh it was the prerogative of the centre to investigate the Elgar Parishad case, the Centre should have taken the state government into confidence before handing over the case to NIA. He also asked whether speaking against the government is an “anti-national” activity.

“Koregaon-Bhima, and Elgar Parishad, held in Pune a day before the violence, are two different issues. Is writing rebellious literature and speaking against the government an anti-national activity?” the NCP chief asked.

Earlier in the week, the Maharashtra government said that it had no objection to NIA taking over probe into the Elgar Parishad case. The Centre last month transferred the probe in the case from the Pune Police to NIA, a move that was criticised by the state government.