Ekbote gets no relief, may be arrested soon

The division bench of Bombay High Court has refused to give Milind Ekbote, one of the main accused in the Bhima-Koregaon riot case, any relief by rejecting his bail application. The court has also refused him any protection and he has no choice but to approach the apex court.

The bench comprising Justices SC Dharamadhikari and Bharati Dangre rejected Ekbote’s application in which the latter had claimed that the trial court in Pune had erred while rejecting his anticipatory bail plea. The judges also upheld the provisions invoked by the trial court against Ekbote, who heads a right wing trust called the Samasta Hindu Aghadi. He has been booked by the Pune police in three separate FIRs under charges of inciting violence under sections of the Scheduled Caste and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act). Ekbote had challenged these charges, calling them ‘ridiculous.’

Ekbote claimed he was not present at the spot to incite any violence on January 1 and blamed the organisers of Elgar Parishad, who had invited the Gujarat legislator Jignesh Mevani and Umar Khaled from Jawaharlal Nehru University; the latter, in turn had made provocative speeches which he alleges led to the riots.

There are 17 previous cases registered against Ekbote of

There are 17 previous cases registered against Ekbote of similar atrocities. He had challenged this in the HC contending that these cases had no connection with the Bhima Koregaon incident

similar atrocities. He had however challenged this in the High Court contending that these cases had no connection with the Bhima Koregaon incident.

Justice Dharmadhikari in his order upheld the view expressed by the lower court judge. “We do not think the judge of trial court has failed to carry out his duty. The background of the applicant, on which the observations have been made, cannot be ignored and brushed aside.”

The judge also made rather sharp observations regarding the changing social fabric of Maharashtra. “What is becoming of this state, which was once considered progressive and a model. We are not willing to accept a defeat even in a cricket match,” said justice Dharmadhikari.