We are not taking any decisions on serious cases, Jayant Patil said
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Jayant Patil on Wednesday said the state government has not withdrawn serious cases against social activists allegedly involved Bhima-Koregaon violence.
"We are not taking blanket decisions on the cases related to Bhima-Koregaon. We are not taking any decisions on serious cases. If a case does not pertain to a serious offence, we will consider such cases," he said.
Mr Patil said that the state government is also reviewing cases filed against the people in connection with the Maratha reservation protest.
In January last year, violence erupted at an event to mark the 100 years of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, leaving one dead and several injured including 10 policemen in Pune.
The police had filed 58 cases against 162 people during a state-wide shutdown in January following clashes in Bhima-Koregaon.
Later that year, the police filed a charge sheet against ten people including five arrested activists -- Roma Wilson, Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling and five accused who are on the run -- Commander Dipak Milind Teltumbde, Kishanda Prashant Bose, Prakash Naveen Rituoam Goswami, Commanders Deepu and Manglu.
The police, in its chargesheet, alleged that Elgaar Parishad, which was organised at Pune's Shaniwar Wada on December 31, 2017, had aggravated the violence in Koregaon-Bhima a day later.