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Uddhav Thackeray’s lawyer appears before Koregaon Bhima Commission over Prakash Ambedkar’s application

Prakash Ambedkar's application claims that NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar accused the previous Fadnavis government of conspiring the violence in Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018.

3 min readPuneDec 3, 2025 05:49 PM IST

The Commission issued notices twice to Uddhav Thackeray, asking him to submit the "documents in question", either personally or through his attorney. (File Photo)

Former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray Wednesday appeared before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry through his lawyer Asim Sarode and sought time for making submissions in connection with an application filed by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar.

Commission’s secretary V V Palnitkar said that advocate Sarode, representing Thackeray, appeared before the Commission and filed his vakalatnama. The Commission asked Sarode to make the submissions over Prakash Ambedkar’s application during the next session of hearings starting from January 7. When contacted, Sarode said he would make the submission before the Commission on January 8.

Ambedkar filed an application before the Commission in February this year, claiming that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar, on January 24, 2020, gave 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 the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis.

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Along with his application, Ambedkar had attached a news report stating that Pawar’s letter to Uddhav 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.

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 this year, Pawar informed the Commission through his lawyer that he did not have a copy of this letter.

Then, on behalf of Ambedkar, his advocate Kiran Kadam filed an application with the Commission, requesting that a notice be issued to Uddhav Thackeray to produce the letter and related documents.

Commission’s notices to Thackeray

The Commission issued notices twice to Thackeray, asking him to submit the “documents in question”, either personally or through his attorney.

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But no response was received from Thackeray. So advocate Kadam filed an application seeking a bailable warrant against Thackeray to secure his presence for the purpose of production of the documents.

Then, on October 30, the Commission issued a notice to Uddhav Thackeray, requiring him to “show cause” as to why the application seeking a bailable warrant against him should not be allowed.

The showcause notice also asked Thackeray to remain present either in person or through an authorised representative on December 2. As Thackeray did not respond, on December 2, advocate Kadam filed an application before the Commission for the issuance of a warrant against him.

But Sarode remained present before the Commission on behalf of Thackeray Wednesday. The Commission allowed his request seeking time to make the submissions on Ambedkar’s application.

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The two-member Commission led by retired High Court judge Justice J N Patel was formed to probe into the 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.

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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