Bhima-Koregaon case: Pune police searches Nagpur lawyer's home

Bhima-Koregaon clash/ File Pic

A Pune police team on Tuesday conducted a search at the residence of a lawyer for giving "provocative speeches" at an event organised to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle.

The programme, "Elgar Parishad", was organised at Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31 last year to commemorate the battle in which the British Army comprising Dalits had defeated the Peshwas. Police officials said the Bhim Nagar residence of advocate Surendra Gadling was searched between 6:30 am and 1 pm in connection with an FIR registered in Pune pertaining to the Elgar Parishad.

Gadling had earlier given legal help to a number of leaders suspected to be involved in Naxal activities, including suspended Delhi University professor GN Saibaba who was sentenced to life in prison on March 7 last year for alleged Maoist links and anti-India activities.

Talking to reporters, Gadling alleged that the men in uniform were troubling people like him and allowing the perpetrators of the Bhima-Koregaon violence to go scot-free.

"I did not participate in the Bhima-Koregaon event. However, we had collected funds for it like we do for any such programme. The police are troubling us and allowing those behind the violence to go scot-free. These raids are meant to silence people who have stood up to the RSS," he alleged.

He claimed that the search party took away research material he had collected over a period of 25 years.

"They even took away exam notes of my son and daughter. Pen-drives, hard drives and such items belonging to my wife were also confiscated," he alleged.

Also Read: Koregaon-Bhima Clash: Devendra Fadnavis Says There's No Proof Against Sambhaji Bhide

Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from PTI

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates