Bhima Koregaon: Pune police registers fresh FIR against 5 more accused

The Pune Police on Tuesday registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) in Shikrapur Police Station against five more accused in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence that erupted beginning of the year. With this, a total of 33 FIRs have so far been registered by the affected people including villagers.

Earlier on Monday, the Maharashtra government told the Supreme Court that charges leveled against the accused in the case are very serious and therefore they cannot be granted bail. The apex court has adjourned hearing in the case till January 2019.

The accused named in the case included human rights lawyer Surendra Gadling and four other activists - Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale.

On November 15, the Pune Police filed a charge sheet against 10 people including five arrested activists - Roma Wilson, Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling and five absconding accused - Commander Dipak Milind Teltumbde, Kishanda Prashant Bose, Prakash Naveen Rituoam Goswami, Commanders Deepu and Manglu.

The police, in its charge sheet, alleged that the "entire campaigning for Elgaar Parishad and speeches delivered at the Elgaar Parishad has aggravated the Bhima Koregaon violence."

During the course of the investigation, the police examined around 80 witnesses. Pahad Singh, a Naxal who had earlier surrendered, was also examined by the Pune police. During the interrogation, Singh revealed that Milind Teltumbde is the leader of Urban Naxalism.

The charge sheet further stated that a letter recovered from one of the arrested accused revealed that a conspiracy was allegedly being framed to plan a Rajiv Gandhi-like assassination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Violence had erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima Koregaon battle in January this year, leaving one dead and several others injured.