Bhima Koregaon: PIL In Bombay HC Seeks Contempt Action Against ADG For Disclosing Case Details At Press Meet

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Bombay High Court by one Sanjay Bhalerao seeking contempt action against Additional Director General of Police (ADG) (Law & Order) Param Bir Singh and other officers, including the DGP of Maharashtra, for disclosing confidential details about the investigation in Bhima Koregaon violence before the public at a press meet on August 31.

Bhalerao also sought transfer of probe into the violence that occurred at Bhima Koregaon, from Pune police to the National Investigation Agency.

This PIL has come in at a time when the division bench of Justices Mridula Bhatkar and Sandeep Shinde has already questioned the police over the press meet in a matter that is sub-judice. It is to be noted that the prayers in both the petitions are similar except for the prayer seeking contempt action against the ADG (Law & Order).

Like the previous petition filed by Satish Gaikwad, the petitioner in this case also claims to be a victim of the violence at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018. It is pointed out in the petition that ACP Shivaji Pawar, the investigating officer (IO) in the case, had moved an application before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pune, asking for the trial to be made in-camera so that names of accused are protected otherwise they might try to destroy the evidence. This application was allowed.

The petition, therefore, pointed out the contrarian stands taken by the IO on one hand before the JMFC and the Additional DG on the other hand.

The petition was filed on Tuesday and is yet to be admitted. It is likely to be mentioned on Wednesday.