Senior lawyer B A Desai on Wednesday asked the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry to call police officer Shivaji Pawar, who investigated the Elgaar Parishad case, to depose as a witness. The two-member commission headed by retired judge, Justice J N Patel, is probing the causes of violence in Koregaon Bhima area in which a person was killed and many others were injured. Desai was conducting cross-examination of Inspector General of Police Ravindra Sengaonkar, who was the Additional Commissioner (south region) of Pune City Police at the time of Koregaon Bhima violence. Sengaonkar had filed the affidavit before the commission on behalf of Pune City Police in October 2018. Shaniwar Wada, where the Elgaar Parishad was held on December 31, 2017, falls under the jurisdiction of Pune City Police. Pune police had alleged that “provocative speeches” made at the Elgaar Parishad and previous campaigns for the event were among the factors that led to the violence in Koregaon Bhima (Pune rural) on January 1, 2018. Sengaonkar also stated in his affidavit that members of the banned CPI Maoist played a role in organising the Elgaar Parishad as “part of the strategy of the outfit to overthrow the democratic system established in the country as per the Indian Constitution”. His affidavit mentioned that “speeches causing varg kalah (class conflict) were made during the Elgaar Parishad.” “The … speeches, statements and other objectionable programmes held at the Elgaar Parishad were provocative. It resulted in tension among the people gathered at Koregaon Bhima on January 1 and caused hatred and differences in the society, and serious law and order situation leaving its impact across the state," it said. Desai told the commission that Sengaonkar played no role in the investigation of the Elgaar Parishad case. So an application was filed before the commission through advocate Hetali Seth on Wednesday, seeking examination of the then Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar of Pune City Police, who had investigated the Elgaar Parishad case. The application stated that Sengaonkar has been authorised by the Commissioner of Pune Police only to compile relevant material and file an affidavit, so it is essential to examine ACP Pawar. The Commission asked state’s lawyer Shishir Hiray to file a reply. Elgaar Parishad was a conclave held on December 31, 2017 ahead of the 200th commemoration of the battle of Koregaon Bhima. Next day, on January 1, 2018, widespread violence was reported in the Koregaon Bhima area. On January 8, Pune-based Tushar Damgude lodged an FIR at Vishrambag police station in Pune city, against six activists involved in organising Elgaar Parishad. During the probe, Pune City Police had arrested nine activists for alleged links with CPI-Maoist and booked a total of 23 persons in this case, including top fugitive Maoist leaders.
