Koregaon-Bhima commission to cross-examine IPS officer Lakhmi Gautam on August 23

MUMBAI: Sixteen months after resuming the probe of the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, the

Koregaon-Bhima Inquiry Commission

has summoned

IPS

officer Lakhmi Gautam and an activist of Kabir Kala Manch Harshali Potdar for the cross-examination, scheduled from August 23 to 25, at the Mumbai office.

The commission has started an examination of witnesses from the state administration and political personalities, which would be a crucial part of an inquiry. The cross-examination of IPS officer Gautam has been partly completed.

It should be noted that Harshali Potdar, who had accused

Milind Ekbote

and

Sambhaji Bhide

of the Koregaon Bhima violence on January 1, 2018, in her affidavit, could not appear for cross-examination before the inquiry commission, even after being summoned thrice.

Last year, the commission sent a summons through a police constable at her Govandi residence instructing her to remain present on February 25, 2020. She, however, cited health reasons for not appearing.

“This will be the first hearing by the commission after March 2020 in Mumbai,” secretary to the commission VV Palnitkar told TOI.

In the next few months, the commission may summon a few other political party leaders related to the case and number of witnesses to be examined including NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The commission had summoned NCP chief Sharad Pawar on April 4, 2020, however, it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. JN Patel, head of the two-member commission had said that among other political party heads, the NCP chief is the only political party chief who has responded to the commission.

The event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon-Bhima battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was marred by incidents of violence on January 1, 2018.

During the violence, one person from the

Maratha

community got killed.

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