Bhima Koregaon case accused Surendra Gadling on Friday said he was no more ready to depose before a commission looking into the matter, PTI reported. He had last month said he wanted to give a statement before the commission to share some facts.

Retired judge Jai Narayan Patel, who heads the commission, said: “Gadling...states he does not want to depose as it will cause prejudice to him in his defence before the trial court where he is facing serious charges.”

Patel ordered that Gadling may be taken back to Yerwada Central Jail in Pune, where he is lodged since his arrest last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Sudhir Dhawale, another accused who had wanted to depose before the commission, will be examined on Saturday.

Ten activists, including Gadling and Dhawale, were arrested in 2018 as part of the investigation into the caste violence at Bhima Koregaon on New Year’s Day that year. They were accused of masterminding the violence and of having links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).


Now, follow and debate the day’s most significant stories on Scroll Exchange.