Bhima Koregaon violence: Accused Milind Ekbote gets bail

Milind Ekbote, a prime accused in Bhima Koregaon violence, has been granted bail on a bond of Rs. 25,000 on Thursday by Pune Sessions court in Maharashtra. District government pleader submitted additional sessions judge S M Menjoge that there was enough evidence against Ekbote and that he indulged in activities prejudicial to social peace and harmony against the government. The prosecution opposed the bail plea of Milind Ekbote.

Earlier, the Bombay High Court had rejected anticipatory Ekbote's bail application in February. He had approached the High Court for anticipatory bail after Pune Sessions court had rejected his plea in March.

The police had filed 58 cases against 162 people during a statewide shutdown in January following clashes in Bhima-Koregaon.

Ekbote, who heads a trust called the Samast Hindu Aghadi, had been booked by the Pune Police in three separate FIRs for inciting violence under the Indian Penal Code, and sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. he was arrested for his at Shivajinagar in Pune.

Dalit leaders and workers at the village alleged that Hindutva activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had instigated the violence.