Bhima Koregaon case: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Home Minister review evidence to decide on SIT

Walking the talk, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, on Thursday, is chairing a review meeting on the Bhima Koregaon cases at Mumbai's Mantralaya. He is currently meeting with Pune police officials with Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to review the evidence and decide if an SIT should be constituted to probe into the case. The Home Minister had stated that the current government will not label everyone opposing it as 'urban Naxal' and approach those opposing it in a better manner.

Ajit Pawar reviews Bhima Koregaon cases

Bhima-Koregaon case: FBI to assist Pune Police to crack Varavara Rao's hard disk

SIT into activists' charges in Elgar Parishad case: Pawar

Earlier on December 21, NCP chief Sharad Pawar demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the police action against activists in the Elgar Parishad case. Mentioning that no conjecture should be drawn from the literature seized from the accused people, he contended that an independent investigation was required claiming that a retired judge should head the SIT. Former CM Devendra Fadnavis has slammed this statement saying some of them had been put behind bars for their "Maoist links" when the Congress-NCP coalition government was in power in 2007.

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Draft Charges against the Elgar Parishad accused 

Meanwhile, on December 18, draft charges were framed against the nineteen accused including the nine activists - Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Shoma Sen, Arun Ferriera, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao by the police. The draft charges include 'conspiracy to assassinate PM Narendra Modi', 'overthrow the government', 'waging war against the Government of India' under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The draft charges also state that some of the arrested are active members of the banned CPI (Maoists) party. If convicted under 'waging war against India' faces the death sentence or imprisonment for life, as per IPC section 121.

Pune police issues notice to 163, prohibiting from Bhima-Koregaon ahead of anniversary

What is the Elgar Parishad case?

In the Elgar Parishad case, Pune police booked activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, and Vernon Gonsalves, Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale and P Varavara Rao for allegedly inciting the Bhima Koregoan violence through their speech at the Elgar Parishad meeting on December 31, 2017, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). They are also being probed for having alleged Naxal links in organising the Parishad.  The ensuing violence on January 1, 2018, had resulted in the death of one person and several others had been injured. Currently, all accused are in jail after their bail pleas were rejected. 

Elgar case: Former CM Fadnavis slams Pawar, Congress over arrest of activists