No response from Maha govt as Bhima Koregaon commission’s tenure ends

NO MORE EXTENSIONS

PUNE: The Bhima Koregaon inquiry commission’s functioning has come to a complete halt with the Maharashtra government not responding to the commission’s call for another tenure that ended in April.

The two-member commission, which functioned in the capacity of a civil court, has been granted several extensions in the past. In a notification issued on February 11, the state government had issued a two-month extension and declared it as the “last extension” which was till April 8.

The two-month extension notice was granted three days after the commission’s previous extension came to an end. The extension for two months was granted even as the status report submitted by the commission had requested an extension of six months.

However, post April, the commission approached the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government though it did not receive any response from the ministry of home, according to VV Palnitkar, secretary of the commission.

“Once we have some communication from the government, we can schedule the remaining hearings. Besides the acknowledgement of our application, there has been no response from the government,” said VV Palnitkar, secretary of the commission. “We have tried to get in touch with the ministry on several occasions. However, there is no response from their side,” said advocate Ashish Satpute representing the commission. In its last submission to the state government, the commission had mentioned that there were 40-50 more witnesses yet to be examined.

Sitaram Kunte, additional secretary of home department, Maharashtra, remained unavailable for comment over phone call and text message. “Certainly work of the commission is not over. There are few important witnesses to be examined from the government’s side. Sufficient cross-examination was conducted and our stand that utmost precaution was taken by the police as well as local administration was substantially established through cross examination of witnesses beside other aspects. But to achieve 100 per cent result, I still need to examine key witnesses,” said special public prosecutor advocate Shishir Hiray representing the state government.

The people who were scheduled to appear before the lockdown was announced included names like Sharad Pawar, Suvez Haq, former SP of Pune rural police, Saurabh Rao, former collector, Pune district; Ravindra Sengaonkar, joint commissioner of police, Pune; and Rajendra Gaikwad, descendant of Govind Gopal whose tomb was allegedly desecrated.

LS, STATE, LOCAL BODY POLLS