Mumbai: Maha Vikas Aghadi may establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe Pune police conduct in the Elgar Parishad case by invoking section 4 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951.
As per this section, the superintendence of the Police Force throughout state vests in and is exercisable by the State Government and it can exercise control, direction and supervision over the police force.
This is in addition to invoking section 10 of the National Investigation Act, 2019 which gives powers to the state government to hold parallel inquiry excluding the list of Scheduled Offences.
The state government is expected to get legal opinion soon and then it will take a final call. SIT is likely to be headed by the retired judge.
MVA minister told FPJ, "The Pune police conduct in the Elgar Parishad needs to be investigated and, under section 4 of the Maharashtra Police Act, the state government can do it."
NCP chief Sharad Pawar had demanded SIT probe into police behaviour saying that those who were not present at the Elgar Parishad were charged and some of them were arrested. He had also demanded suspension of a few Pune police officers.
The Elgar Parishad case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave, held at Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31, 2017, which police claimed triggered violence near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in the district the next day. Pune police claimed the conclave was backed by Maoists and arrested nine activists.
