The violence that ensued in the first two days of January 2018 was pre-planned by Milind Ekbote, alleged Suresh Sakat, 46, father of Puja Sakat, 19, a witness who was found dead four months after the riots.
Sakat made the allegation while deposing in front of a two-member inquiry commissioner formed to probe the reasons that led to the violence. The Bhima Koregaon Inquiry Commission is headed by retired Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Jainarayan Patel and consists of former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Sumit Mullick.
“According to me, the conspiracy was hatched long back to attack the persons who were going to the Jay Stambh at Bhima-Koregaon and the riot broke out as an outcome of the conspiracy,” he submitted to the commission which has the status of a civil court.
He was being cross-questioned by advocate Kiran Channe, representing two other victims of the riots, Ravindra Chandane and Amol Wankhede, when he was asked the reason behind his belief that the Bhima Koregaon violence was planned.
Sakat, in Marathi, told the commission, “I say so because there were series of closed-door meetings held by Milind Ekbote with his workers. The last meeting I saw was held in Hotel Sonai at Perne Phata, Taluka Haveli, which was about 15 days before the incident, i.e. January 1, 2018.”
{{/usCountry}}Sakat, in Marathi, told the commission, “I say so because there were series of closed-door meetings held by Milind Ekbote with his workers. The last meeting I saw was held in Hotel Sonai at Perne Phata, Taluka Haveli, which was about 15 days before the incident, i.e. January 1, 2018.”
{{/usCountry}}On January 1, 2018, Sakat told the commission that he saw people standing on the terrace of a building, named Abhay, which is owned by a person identified only as Gavhane. During his deposition, he mentioned three different people with the surname Gavhane - Rohidas Gavhane, owner of an eatery; Yogesh Gavhane, who allegedly worked with Sangita Kamble, Sarpanch of Bhima Koregaon; and Tushar Gavhane, an aide of BJP MLA Baburao Pacharne, according to Sakat.
His daughter Puja was among his family members who were witness to the riots. The Class 11 student’s body was found floating in a well near the riot victims’ rehabilitation camp around 2km from Bhima Koregaon. Even as Sakat calls it a murder, a case of abetment to suicide was registered against nine people. Two of the nine were arrested in the matter.
Sakat told the commission that his family was rehabilitated in Kasba peth with police protection. However, the house is close to where Milind Ekbote lives and the police protection is withdrawn on multiple ocassions. He also told the commission that his youngest son Balaji Sakat, 15, had to stop going to school while Jaideep had also been attacked recently along the General Post Office road. His deposition will continue on Thursday as well.