Author Vishwas Patil on Monday started recording his testimony before the Bhima Koregaon Inquiry Commission, which examined his writings on the last rites of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, an issue that became a focal point in the historical dispute invoked during the 2018 caste violence.
Commission secretary VV Palnitkar said Patil’s deposition remained incomplete and will continue on the next scheduled date. Patil, who has written extensively on Sambhaji Maharaj, had earlier sought additional time before appearing.
The state-appointed two-member panel, set up in February 2018, is investigating the January 1, 2018, clashes near Koregaon Bhima that left one person dead and several others, including ten police personnel, injured. The violence followed the Elgar Parishad event held in Pune on December 31, 2017, where alleged provocative speeches are believed to have contributed to the unrest. Police have claimed the conclave had Maoist links, a claim still under examination as the commission continues to record testimonies and scrutinise evidence.