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Koregaon Bhima panel tells chief secretary to submit info on letter sought by Ambedkar

Commission Summons Maharashtra Chief Secretary Over Sharad Pawar’s Alleged Secret Note to Uddhav Thackeray.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 18, 2026 09:15 PM IST

VBA president and Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar Ambedkar had along with his application had demanded the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Koregaon-Bhima violence and accused the Fadnavis government of protecting the conspirators. (Express Archive)

The Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry has directed the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra to submit information regarding a letter sought by VBA president and Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar.

In his application filed before the Commission in February last year, Ambedkar had claimed that Nationalist Congress Party NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had on January 24, 2020 given a letter to then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, claiming the violence (in Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018) was a conspiracy hatched by the previous government under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis.

On January 8 this year, Uddhav submitted an affidavit before the commission through his lawyer Asim Sarode, saying if Sharad Pawar had given him such a letter, it should be in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

“I am not the CM now. So it would be appropriate to seek this letter from the current chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the CMO,” Thackeray stated in the affidavit.

Ambedkar’s lawyer Kiran Kadam then filed a fresh application requesting the commission to issue a notice to the CMO for producing the said letter, which was allowed by the panel.

Also Read | Members of Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry visit ‘Jaystambh’ with Elgaar Parishad activist

“As per the orders of the Commission, a letter in lieu of summons has been sent to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra on January 14. The Chief Secretary has been asked to submit information regarding the letter in question, through an authorised representative, by February 25,” said commission’s secretary V V Palnitkar.

Ambedkar had along with his application attached a news report stating that Pawar’s letter to Thackeray demanded the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Koregaon-Bhima violence and accused the Fadnavis government of protecting the conspirators.

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Ambedkar initially requested the Commission to pass an order directing Sharad Pawar to submit a copy of the letter given to Uddhav Thackeray, along with the related documents. But in August last year, Pawar informed the Commission through his lawyer that he did not have a copy of this letter.

The Commission then allowed Ambedkar’s application to seek the copy of this letter and related documents from Uddhav Thackeray.

But, Thackeray too did not produce the copy of the said letter. Thackeray stated in his affidavit that during his tenure as CM of Maharashtra (November 2019 to June 2022) a transparent administrative procedure was followed to maintain records of all official documents and letters in his name in the capacity of chief minister at the CMO. “So if Sharad Pawar had given me any letter regarding the Koregaon Bhima violence, it should be there in the CMO,” Thackeray stated.

The two-member Commission led by retired High Court judge Justice J N Patel was formed by the state government for probing into the cause of violence in the Koregaon Bhima area in Pune on January 1, 2018, in which one person had died, and several others were left injured. Former chief secretary Sumit Mallick is the second member of the Commission.

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“Next hearings of the Commission would be held in Pune between February 25 and February 27, 2026,” said Commissions’ lawyer Aashish Satpute.

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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