Sept 30: Koregaon Bhima panel gets yet another extension

One person had died and several others were injured in the violence. On February 9, 2018, the state government constituted a two-member commission, headed by retired HC judge Justice J N Patel for probing the cause of the violence. Former chief secretary Sumit Mallick was appointed as the second member of the commission.

Initially, the commission was given four months to submit its report, but its tenure had to be repeatedly extended to allow it to complete its work. Subsequently, the commission received extensions from time to time. The panel could not function during the Covid-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, this is the 12th time that extension has been granted to the commission since it was formed.

The period of last extension granted to the panel expired on Friday. Commission’s secretary V V Palnitkar said that further extension was sought from the government as examination of some witnesses is pending. “The govern- ment has granted an extension till September 30. Next hearing of would take place in Pune from July 17. The schedule for hearing of witnesses will be released soon.”

The panel has been conducting its hearings in Mumbai and Pune. Recently, it shifted its administrative office from Mumbai to Pune, in the premises of the old Zilla Parishad building. Hearings of senior police officers from Pune city and rural polices, who probed cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence and handled responsibilities at the time of riots, are on before the commission.