Elgar Parishad case: State has right to conduct fresh probe, says home min

NSP’s Deshmukh said the state is examining provisions in the Maharashtra Police Act to set up a parallel probe to that of the NIA or if there are other laws to order a commission of inquiry into the Elgar Parishad case.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said the state has the right to conduct a fresh probe into the Bhima-Koregaon and Elgar Parishad cases if the investigation has been done in a wrong manner.

Anil Deshmukh during the swearing in ceremony for Maharashtra cabinet expansion at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

The minister said the state is examining provisions in the Maharashtra Police Act to set up a parallel probe to that of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or if there are other laws to order a commission of inquiry into the Elgar Parishad case.

Deshmukh, of the NCP, was speaking during the question hour in the legislative Council.

Legislator Kapil Patil raised the issue that several letters and delegations have complained that false cases were filed against intellectuals. Patil urged the government to withdraw cases registered against a few people like Anand Teltumbde. “Will the state initiate a parallel inquiry into Elgar Parishad to reveal the truth and provide security to people framed wrongly as ‘urban naxals’?” said Patil.

The minister said he had received representations and letters complaining that the previous BJP-led government targeted people who spoke against the government. Deshmukh indicated that the state could look into allegations of false cases against those stamped “urban naxals”.

He said, “The state has the right to conduct a probe if the investigation was carried out in a wrong manner in Elgar Parishad case.”

The Elgar Parishad probe was unilaterally taken over by NIA last month by the Centre, a move that was criticised by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress party. Later, the Sena softened its opposition to the transfer of case. However, NCP chief Sharad Pawar demanded a parallel probe by the state police.

The statement by the minister is in line with party chief’s stance. Pawar has already questioned the role of Pune Police and senior officials in the Elgar Parishad case.

On February 18, Pawar had said he used to be proud of the Maharashtra Police, but today’s situation was worrying. He also questioned how the Central government got information about an internal meeting on setting up a special investigation team (SIT) held by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and state home minister Deshmukh.

During the question hour in the upper house, Deshmukh said, “The government is considering whether a probe can be ordered under provisions of Maharashtra Police Act or Commission of Inquiry under other laws.” Leader of Opposition in the Council, Pravin Darekar and Congress legislator Sharad Ranpise sought a parallel probe on the case.

The home minister said of the total 649 cases filed in the Bhima-Koregaon violence that happened on January 1, 2018, 348 cases have been withdrawn. He said a committee is reviewing cases and is in process of withdrawing other cases. However, he added that cases where police personnel were injured will not be withdrawn.

Besides, the home department has also withdrawn cases filed in the Maratha agitation and the agitation against the proposed oil refinery at Nanar. “Of the total 548 cases, 460 have been withdrawn so far... Similarly, of the total five cases filed in connection with the Nanar refinery agitation, the state government has so far withdrawn three cases,” he added.