Right decision by Centre to hand over Bhima-Koregaon case to NIA: Devendra Fadnavis

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the Central government took the correct decision to handover the Bhima-Koregaon case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as this will expose the urban Naxals.

"It is the correct decision because this case isn't confined to Maharashtra, we see it is spread all over the country. The Central government has taken the right step, this will expose the urban Naxals," Fadnavis told ANI.

"When the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power, UPA minister had given a statement in the Lok Sabha that these are urban Naxal organisations but today they are trying to protect these people. This is extremely wrong," he added.

The BJP leader further asserted that in the Bhima-Koregaon case, any matter that has come up in the context of urban Naxals has gone before the Supreme Court.

"Chargesheets have been filed according to the orders given by the Supreme Court from time to time. Despite this, these types of statements are being made deliberately," he added.

However, Congress leader Sachin Sawant on Friday stated that sudden taking over of Bhima- Koregaon case by the NIA clearly substantiates conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Sudden taking over of Bhima Koregaon riot case by NIA after #MahaVikasAghadi govt started reinvestigation into inquiry of Pune police, clearly substantiates conspiracy of #BJP. Why it took two years for NIA to find that case is fit under its jurisdiction? Strongly condemn!" Sawant tweeted.

Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the Central government has handed over the investigation of the Bhima-Koregaon case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) without the State government's permission.

"As the Home Minister of the State, I am raising my objection to it," said Deshmukh while speaking to reporters here.

In a high-level meeting at the State Secretariat on Thursday, Deshmukh along with senior police officers took a review of the Bhima-Koregaon cases.

On January 1, 2018, violence had erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle.

One person lost his life while several others were injured in the incident. Police had filed 58 cases against 162 people.