Pune police names Jignesh Mevani and Umar Khalid citing 'inflammatory speeches' in Bhima Koregaon violence affidavit

In the affidavit filed by the Pune police to an inquiry commission on Friday, Republic TV has learnt that the cops have named Jignesh Mewani, Umar Khalid, Sudhir Dhawale and members of Kabir Kala Manchas in the documents, accusing them of giving out hate speeches before the Bhima-Koregaon violence took place.

It is reported that the named individuals had given out inflammatory speeches, and had said that 'We had demolished Peshwayi in the past, now we have to demolish the New Peshwayi'. The cops gave out the names of the individuals and contents of their speeches to the commission, before adding that they are investigating the speeches.

Earlier this year in June, police had arrested Rona Wilson, along with Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut and Rana Jacob in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence. After the arrests, the police had recovered a letter containing the plan of a Rajiv Gandhi type assassination plot for Prime Minister Modi, from Wilson’s laptop.

It was then followed by multi-city raids across the country in August, which resulted in the detention of Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha and Arun Ferreira. 

The Pune police sought their arrest, but the Supreme Court denied them, and put all the accused under house arrest till September 6. It was then followed by apex court extending their house arrest for a further five days, which was further extended till end of September.

But on September 28, the topmost court refused to interfere in the arrest of the 5 accused persons in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case. In a 2:1 majority judgment, the court rejected the plea for SIT probe in the case and said that "accused can't choose which agency will probe them." The Supreme Court also ruled that the accused will continue to be "under house arrest for 4 weeks and that Maharashtra police to continue with the prove in the case".

Late in October, the Pune Sessions Court rejected bail plea application of Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj, three of the five accused arrested on August 28 in the Bhima Koregaon case. 

READ: Bhima Koregaon Case: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Gautam Navlakha; Refuses To Give More Time To Pune Police For Investigation

(With inputs from PTI)