All Bhima Koregaon hearings in March postponed by JIC amid Coronavirus outbreak

Amid the increasing of Coronavirus cases in Pune, the Bhima Koregaon Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) on Tuesday postponed all the hearing in the case scheduled for the last week of March. 

"In view of the coronavirus pandemic, Koregaon-Bhima commission of Inquiry has decided to postpone all hearings scheduled at Pune during last week of March," Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry Secretary VV Palnitkar said in a press note on Tuesday.

According to the press note, the scheduled hearing at Pune was moved to the Mumbai office and will now take place there from March 30 to April 4, 2020.

"Detailed schedule of the hearing will be notified at the Commission's office at Pune and Mumbai. All concerned are requested not to visit the office of Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry except for compelling reasons," it added.

The commission, headed by former Calcutta High Court chief justice JN Patel, had earlier stated that it will call NCP chief Sharad Pawar for deposition in the matter.

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Bhima Koregaon case

In January 2018, the Pune Police lodged an FIR against Navlakha and others after the Elgar Parishad held on December 31, 2017, that had allegedly triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in Pune district the next day. Gautam Navlakha and the four others were accused have booked under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Sections 121, 121(a) and 124 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) amounting to sedition, waging a war against the State, and conspiring to commit certain offences against the State.

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Coronavirus Pandemic

According to the latest figures available on Tuesday, the total number of positive cases of Coronavirus in India has soared up to 137, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Three deaths have been reported in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and West Delhi respectively. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15.

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(With inputs from ANI)