Sambhaji Bhide, Milind Ekbote instigated Bhima Koregaon riots: Accused event organiser tells Inquiry Commission

Harshali Potdar, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case of 2018 for her alleged links with banned organisation CPI -Maoist stated before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry that the violence was instigated by Samabhji Bhide, former RSS worker and Milind Ekbote, former BJP corporator.

. Advocate Ashish Satpute, the lawyer representing the commission, started recording the examination in chief on Wednesday.

. Potdar who deposed as a witness, reiterated what was stated in her affidavit filed in 2018.

According to her research, Potdar claimed that "the riots were initiated and instigated by Sambhaji Bhide and members of his organisation- ‘Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan’, and Milind Ekbote and members of organisation ‘Samast Hindu Aghadi'" .

. Potdar submitted a “press note” to the commission which had been issued by Ekbote as well as a letter to the Pune district collector a few days before the violence of January 1, 2018.

In said letter, Bhide had expressed his position to the gathering of people from the Dalit-Ambedkarite communities for commemorating the victory of Dalit soldiers in a battle against a local Brahmin Peshwa ruler.

Perusing the letter and the press-note, Potdar concluded that "Ekbote mislead the authorities and was instrumental in causing the riots" .

. Her secondary contention was that the FIR falsely implicated her and others like Sudhir Dhawale, Sagar Gorakhe, Ramesh Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap and Deepak Dengale.

She had investigated and collected evidence in relation to the holding of the event which included statements of victims, profiles and posts from social media.

. The papers pertaining to the investigation was taken away by the Pune police. She tried to recover the data, however the core material which can be used as an evidence against the real culprits was still unavailable.

She informed the Commission about what data would be required to be recollected.

. In her affidavit, Potdar had stated that she feared the police will act against her for saying the truth to the Commission. On Wednesday, she stated she still apprehends danger to her life.

The Commission granted her liberty to approach the State for protection in the event she felt the need for it at the cost of State.

. Member of Republican Panther, Potdar was arraigned as an accused along with six persons in the FIR lodged at the Vishrambag police station in Pune by one Tushar Damgude in connection with the Elgar Parishad event of 2018.

The event was marred by violent clashes between Dalit and Maratha groups which led to at least one death and injuries to several others.

During their investigation, the Pune Police claimed that the violence was triggered by speeches at the event.

. While Potdar is an accused in one FIR, Bhide and Ekbote were booked as accused in another FIR registered on January 2, 2018 for allegedly committing offences under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

While Ekbote was eventually granted bail in April 2018, Bhide was never arrested.

. A two-member commission had been appointed in 2018 consisting of retired Justice JN Patel and member Sumit Mullick for probing into the sequence of events that led to the violence.

Before she could be cross examined by other lawyers, Potdar sought time for filing of additional affidavit.

. Meanwhile, the commission continued recording evidence on Thursday of one Tassbar Shah who was a victim in the riot.

In his deposition, Shah stated that "the quarrel started when persons holding saffron flags came at Vadhu chowk and it got converted into a riot as they started pelting stones, damaging properties along the road."

. He deposed that persons carrying blue flags (associated with Dalit organisations) used to come every year to visit the Dalit war memorial. "These people did not carry any weapons such as rods. They were not violent."

. The further dates for hearing will be released by the Commission later.

Sambhaji Bhide, Milind Ekbote instigated Bhima Koregaon riots: Accused event organiser tells Inquiry Commission

Neha Joshi

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