Sharad Pawar to appear before Koregaon Bhima panel on April 4

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar will appear before Koregaon-Bhima Commission of Inquiry on April 4.

In the wake of the pandemic COVID-19, the Commission has decided to put off the hearings in Pune till the month-end. Thereafter, the hearings would be held in Mumbai.

In a statement issued by V V Palnitkar, Secretary to the Commission, said:, “In the view of coronavirus outbreak, Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry has decided to postpone all hearings scheduled at Pune during last week of March. It is further notified that these hearings will take place in Mumbai from March 30 to April 4. Detailed schedules of hearing will be notified."

Pawar (79), a four-time Maharashtra chief minister and ex-Union Minister having handled the important portfolios of defence and agriculture, will appear on 4 April.

His deposition assumes significant as he is the chief architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and his party, NCP, had opposed handing over the probe to the NIA.

In fact, home minister Anil Deshmukh of NCP has even said that he was against the case being handed over to NIA but chief minister Uddhav Thackeray can overrule him.

Last month, the Koregaon Bhima case was handed over to the NIA, but the Elgar Parishad investigations remained with Pune police.

The CoI is headed by Justice (retd) JN Patel, former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court and comprises of Maharashtra ex-Chief Secretary Sumit Mallick.

It may be recalled, Pawar had filed an affidavit before the commission. It needs to be mentioned that the CoI had got four extensions - and is scheduled to submit its report by April.

The deposition of Pawar is going to be interesting as he had questioned the role of the then chief minister and now leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis. Between 2014-19, Fadnavis had held the portfolios of home, law and judiciary.

Last month, the Vivek Vichar Manch had filed an application before the Commission seeking that Pawar should be summoned in the wake of certain statements made by him regarding the caste violence.