Mumbai: In what can spell trouble for Hindu extremist Manohar Bhide, the Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Pune Rural Police to file its final report on the probe against him. He is accused of instigating the riots between Hindus and Dalits during the Bhima-Koregaon violence in Pune.
A bench of Justices Ranjit More and Nizamoodin Jamadar has granted the Pune Rural Police time to file its report latest by November 11.
This comes after Anita Savale, a victim of the violence, moved the bench last year seeking action against Bhide. The petition was moved after the Maharashtra government decided to drop all charges (pertaining to this violence case) against Bhide.
Following this decision, Savale moved the HC through her counsel Suresh Mane highlighting the fact that initially Bhide was named in the First Information Report (FIR) in the case. However, his name was dropped subsequently.
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In an earlier hearing held in July, the bench led by Justice More had sought to know from the police as to how much time it would require to complete the probe against Bhide. The police had then sought a total of three months time.
On Monday, when the matter was called on for hearing, the prosecutor appearing for the police again asked for more time to conclude the probe.
Irked over the request, the judges pulled up the police, however, later on granted time till November 11 to the police. The bench has asked the police to file its final report as to whether it would be filing a charge sheet against Bhide or would be closing the probe against him. The matter has been accordingly adjourned till November.
