Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Maharashtra government has granted yet another extension to the commission of inquiry set up to investigate the violence reported in Pune’s Bhima Koregaon area on January 1, 2018, in which a man died and several others were injured.
As per an order from the home department, the commission has been granted an extension till February 28, 2025.
The government constituted a two-member commission headed by retired high court judge Justice J N Patel on February 9, 2018. Former chief secretary Sumit Mallick is the second member of the commission.
The commission had been given four months to submit its report, but its tenure had to be repeatedly extended to allow it to complete its work. The commission could not function during the Covid pandemic. The last extension was granted till November 30, 2024.
V V Palnitkar, the commission’s secretary, said a status report was submitted to the government seeking more time for completing the work. Accordingly, the government has granted an extension asking the commission to complete its work and submit the final report by February 28, 2025. This is the 16th extension given to the commission.
So far, the commission has recorded statements from over 50 witnesses, who include villagers from Bhima Koregaon and Vadhu Budruk, senior politicians like Sharad Pawar, Prakash Ambedkar, and government and police officials.
The commission conducted a hearing in Pune between November 25 and 28. Lawyers representing different witnesses are submitting their final arguments to the commission.
The violence took place during a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon.
