Bhima Koregaon: Pune police gets 90-days' extension to file chargesheet

Pune, Sep 2: A Pune court has granted the city police 90 days' extension to file its chargesheet against the arrest of five activists in connection with the the Bhima Koregaon violence. The police had filed an application on Saturday seeking such an extension.

The accused - Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Shoma Sen and Rona Wilson - were produced before the court this morning. Police had arrested the five accused in June while probing the alleged Maoist connection to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31 last year.

The court of special Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) judge KD Vadhane granted the extension sought by Pune Police, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, the investigating officer in the case, according to a PTI report.

Under UAPA, which is invoked in the case, if the investigation is not completed within 90 days, the period for filing charge sheets can be extended up to 180 days, Pawar said.

Meanwhile, officials of the Yerawada Central Jail, where all the five activists arrested in June are lodged, had moved an application before the court in mid-July, seeking permission to shift all the accused to another prison citing "security reasons".

The court is likely to give its judgement on the application on September 6.