Koregaon Bhima violence: Prakash Ambedkar seeks Sharad Pawar’s letter to Uddhav that blamed Fadnavis govt

To support his claims, the VBA chief attached a news report with his application that stated Sharad Pawar's letter to Uddhav Thackeray demanded the formation of an SIT to probe the Koregaon Bhima violence.

5 min readPuneUpdated: Feb 21, 2025 09:32 PM IST

V V Palnitkar, secretary of the commission, said they have received Ambedkar's application. (Express File)

Senior politician Prakash Ambedkar on Friday filed an application before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry claiming that National Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar had around January 24, 2020, given a letter to then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying the violence (in Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018) was a conspiracy hatched by the previous government under leadership of Devendra Fadnavis.

To support his claims, Ambedkar attached a news report with his application that stated Pawar’s letter to Uddhav Thackeray demanded the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Koregaon Bhima violence and accused Fadnavis government of protecting the conspirators.
Ambedkar has requested the commission to pass an order asking Pawar to submit this letter. Ambedkar also requested that if required, Pawar should be called again to depose as a witness before the commission.

V V Palnitkar, secretary of the commission, said they have received Ambedkar’s application. “We have asked special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray to file a say on it,” said Palnitkar.

Ambedkar told media persons that Pawar had in the past hinted at the involvement of “right wing” groups in the Koregaon Bhima violence.
Ambedkar said there were three theories – one being that the Superintendent (SP), Pune rural police pointing at the involvement of Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, two – the Commissioner of Pune City Police putting the blame on Naxalites, and three – former chief minister Sharad Pawar hinting at the involvement of “right wing” groups.

“The commission will examine the details we have submitted today and then if required, call former chief minister Sharad Pawar again…,” he said.
It may be recalled that while speaking to media persons after the Koregaon Bhima violence, Sharad Pawar had raised suspicion about the role of Hindutva groups. In his press conference held in February 2020, Pawar had also made allegations against Ekbote and Bhide.

Also Read | 207th anniversary of Battle of Koregaon Bhima: ‘We will kick those who oppose Dr Ambedkar, rhymes Ramdas Athavle

But while deposing as a witness before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry on May 5, 2022, Pawar skipped questions related to Ekbote and Bhide and avoided making any allegations against the Hindutva groups. During his cross examination by advocate B G Bansode, who represented a Dalit witness, Pawar had said that he did not know Bhide and Ekbote and “only read about them in the media”.

When Bansode asked him another question regarding the duo, Pawar said, “I am restricting myself to the facts stated in my affidavit before the Commission of Inquiry.”

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In his additional affidavit filed before the commission in April 2022, Pawar had stated that he had “no personal knowledge or information about the sequence of events” leading to the violence.

In his first affidavit filed before the commission in October 2018, Pawar had stated that he was “not in a position to specifically make allegations against any particular organisation” for causing the violence. In the same affidavit, Pawar had stated, “….. Active role of right-wing forces behind the violence at Koregaon Bhima cannot be ruled out. However, concrete evidence can be gathered only by the law enforcement agencies of the state.”

The two member commission headed by retired high court justice J N Patel was formed by the state government on February 9, 2018 for probing the causes of the violence in Pune’s Koregaon Bhima area on January 1, 2018, in which one person had died and several others were left injured. Former bureaucrat Sumit Mallick was appointed the second member of the commission.

Dalit leader and chief of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Ambedkar had in June 2023 submitted a letter to the commission demanding deposition of Fadnavis, Mallick and IPS officer Suvez Haque, as witnesses in connection with the ongoing inquiry into the Koregaon Bhima violence.

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Fadnavis was chief minister, Mallick was chief secretary and Haque was SP, Pune rural police, at the time of Koregaon Bhima violence. While Haque’s cross examination was conducted, the commission decided not to call Fadnavis, who is now again the chief minister of Maharashtra.

The Commission is currently conducting its hearings in Pune. Lawyers representing different witnesses are submitting their final arguments to the commission. As per a state home department order, the extension granted to the commission will expire on February 28, 2025. Commission has recorded evidence of over 50 witnesses, who include villagers from Koregaon Bhima, Vadhu Budruk, police and government officials, the then Pune district collector Saurabh Rao and other persons.

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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