Bhima-Koregaon: Dhawale, Gadling to depose before commission

The commission conducting inquiry into the January 1, 2018 violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district would be examining Sudhir Dhawale and Surendra Gadling, two of the accused in the Elgar Parishad case.

The commission would examine them on September 6 and 7. Both are currently in Yerawada Jail here.

The Maharahstra government has appointed the judicial commission under former high court judge Jai Narayan Patel to conduct an inquiry into the violence that took place during the 200th commemoration of the battle of Bhima-Koregaon.

Pune Police claimed that inflammatory speeches at the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave here a day earlier led to the violence. Maoists had backed the conclave, police alleged.

The probe led to arrest of Dhawale, Gadling and some other Left-leaning ativists for alleged Maoist links.

Shishir Hiray, the lawyer representing the state before the commission, said Dhawale and Gadling had themselves demanded that the commission record their statements.

"The commission is going to examine both on September 6 and 7 at the same place in Pune where it is conducting the inquiry," he informed.