PAWAR TO DEPOSE BEFORE BHIMA PANEL

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has been summoned by Koregaon Bhima inquiry commission to appear before it on April 4. Pawar will have to appear before the commission in Mumbai, as the scheduled hearing by the commission was shifted there in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The commission’s tenure ends on April 9, however, it is likely to get extension, sources said.

A two-member inquiry commission is conducting the probe into the 2018 KoregaonBhima violence.

In Februrary, social group Vivek Vichar Manch member Sagar Shinde had filed an application before the commission, seeking summoning of Pawar in view of certain statements made by him in the media about the 2018 caste violence.

Taking note of Vivek Vichar Manch’s application the Commission had first sought time from Pawar for his appearance and later sent him the summons.

Sagar Shinde of the Manch demanded that NCP chief be summoned in view of certain statements made by him in the media about the 2018 caste violence.

Shinde had given reference of the NCP press conference conducted in February 18, in which Pawar had alleged that right-wing activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had created a “different” atmosphere in KoregaonBhima close to Pune city.

NCP chief spokesperson and cabinet minister for minority affairs Nawab Malik said that the commission had asked Pawar for a convenient date for appearing before it.

Pawar had informed the commission that owing to the ongoing Parliament session, he would appear on April 4 in afternoon at 3 pm.