Mumbai: The commission probing the Bheema Koregaon case has decided to summon Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar for statements in the caste violence case. Judicial panel counsel Ashish Satpute said on Tuesday that the chairman of the commission, retired Justice JN Patel, said that Pawar had filed an affidavit in front of the panel and he would be called to record the statement.

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He said, "A summons will be issued in this regard." The lawyer said that Pawar was likely to be called in the last phase of the hearing. Earlier this month, the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government has given a final extension to the commission by 8 April this year and has been asked to submit its report to the panel. Last week Sagar Shinde, a member of the social group Vivek Vichar Manch, filed an application before the commission. In which, in view of some statements made by him in the media regarding the 2018 caste violence, Pawar has been called for summoning.

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In his petition, Shinde referred to Pawar's statement in a press conference on 18 February. According to the application, Pawar had alleged in a press conference that right-wing activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide created an atmosphere of violence in Koregaon-Bheema and its surrounding areas on the outskirts of Pune city. In the same press talk, Pawar had also alleged that the role of the Pune city police commissioner is questionable and should be investigated.

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