Sharad Pawar slams former Devendra Fadnavis government, demands new SIT to probe Bhima Koregaon case

Mumbai: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has labelled serious allegations against former CM Devendra Fadnavis and his government in a two-page letter written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, demanding the formation of a new SIT (Special Investigation Team) to investigate the Bhima Koregaon case, according to highly placed sources.

According to the letter written last week, Pawar sought the formation of the SIT to probe the matter thoroughly because of the gross abuse of power by the earlier government. “The Fadnavis government provided wrong information to the media and created confusion,” said the NCP chief.

He further alleged that since the police was banking on electronic proof, they tempered with the electronic equipment, destroyed evidence and created false proof.

“My clear opinion is that it was a conspiracy of the then government with the police. Law enforcement agencies did not act against the main culprits of the violence and instead made efforts to divert the attention of people by misleading them,” the veteran NCP leader said.

Pawar added, “The main aim of the govt was to suppress the voice of people against and thwart any democratic agitation. The persons arrested are respected citizens of society.”

Earlier on Thursday, Maharashtra Police briefed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh about the status of probe in the Bhima Koregaon case that took place in Pune on January 1, 2018.

Pawar, Deshmukh and senior state police officials held a review meeting at the state secretariat to review the case.

The Pune police responded to almost all the questions of the ministers but sought more time to give further clarifications on certain queries. The home minister, however, expressed apprehension over the role of the police, said the sources.

The cops are said to have strived hard to convince the HM against setting up a probe against the policemen investigating the case as it will affect the department’s morale.

The meeting on Thursday was significant as the NCP chief, Sharad Pawar, last month demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be set up under a retired judge to probe the action taken by Pune Police in the case.