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Koregaon Bhima panel summons author Vishwas Patil over his novel ‘Sambhaji’

Advocate Mangesh Deshmukh, who represents the Vadhu Budruk Gram Panchayat in Pune alleged that the novel had "unhistorical" information about the last rites of the Maratha ruler

4 min readPuneUpdated: Sep 29, 2025 01:01 AM IST

Retired IAS officer Vishwas Patil

The Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry has summoned author and retired IAS officer Vishwas Patil to appear before it in connection with his novel “Sambhaji”, based on the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.

The author was summoned after an application was filed before the commission by advocate Mangesh Deshmukh, who represents the Vadhu Budruk Gram Panchayat in Pune, alleging that the novel had “unhistorical” information about the last rites of the Maratha ruler.

Patil, who was recently appointed the president of the 99th All India Marathi Literary Meet to be held in Satara in January next year, was told to appear during the hearing in Pune on September 26.

V V Palnitkar, Secretary of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry said, “We have communicated with Vishwas Patil. He was unable to come on September 26 as he was in Bihar for a book festival event. He has assured to appear before the commission after he returns. Accordingly, we would be calling him again for the next hearings of the Commission in the last week of October.”

The Commission, headed by retired high court justice J N Patel, is probing into the causes of violence that occurred in Koregaon Bhima area on January 1, 2018, in which one person was killed and several others were injured.

Vadhu Budruk is a historic village, located about 4 km from Koregaon Bhima, known for the samadhi of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The village also has a disputed tomb-like structure, which, according to the Mahar community, is the samadhi of Govind Gopal Dhegoji Meghoji, a 17th century figure.

Marathas from Vadhu Budruk village believe it was their ancestors, the Shivale Deshmukhs, who had defied the orders of Aurangzeb and performed the last rites of Sambhaji Maharaj after he was killed by the Mughal emperor in 1689.

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The Mahar community, however, claims that Govind Gopal performed the last rites of the king.

A board with the “disputed history” of Govind Gopal erected in Vadhu Budruk on the night of December 28, 2017, had led to an altercation, which was seen as one of the triggers for Koregaon Bhima violence on January 1, 2018.

“As per Vishwas Patil’s book, a person named Govind from the Mahar community was involved in performing last rites of Sambhaji Maharaj. But there is no contemporary historical record to prove it. So we have asked the Commission to call author Vishwas Patil to examine him in connection with the controversial content in his book,” said advocate Deshmukh.

Meanwhile, the outfit Sambhaji Brigade has also issued a legal notice to Patil last week, claiming that his book “Sambhaji” has objectionable content that causes defamation of Sambhaji Maharaj, thereby hurting the sentiments of many.

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Sambhaji Brigade has opposed Patil’s appointment as President of the 99th All India Marathi Literary Meet.

The outfit has demanded that Patil should remove the “objectionable” content from his book and tender a public apology.

Replying to Sambhaji Brigade on his social media account, Patil stated he has received the legal notice and his lawyer is seeking exact objections, along with page numbers of his book, from the outfit.

Patil stated that he would verify the facts from the historical sources and research material.

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“Sambhaji Maharaj is a matter of pride for me… I have delivered several speeches on the topic for the last 20 years. If there are any errors in writing, there is no reason for me to feel inferior in making corrections and apologise in this regard,” he stated.

Besides “Sambhaji”, which was published about 20 years before, Patil is also known for his books like “Panipat” and a novel “Mahanayak” on Subhash Chandra Bose.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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