Koregaon Bhima panel tells chief secretary to submit information on letter sought by Ambedkar

The Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry has directed the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra to submit information on a letter sought by VBA president and Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar.

In his application filed before the Commission in February last year, Ambedkar had claimed that NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had on January 24, 2020, handed over a letter to the then Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray. calling out violence (at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018) It was a conspiracy hatched by the previous government under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis.

On January 8 this year, Uddhav submitted an affidavit before the commission through his lawyer Asim Sarode, saying that if Sharad Pawar had given him that letter, it should be in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

“I am not the CM now. Therefore, it would be appropriate to request this letter from the current chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, and the CMO,” Thackeray said in the affidavit.

Ambedkar’s lawyer Kiran Kadam then filed a fresh application asking the commission to issue notice to the CMO to file such a letter, which was allowed by the panel.

“As per the orders of the Commission, a letter in lieu of summons was issued to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra on January 14. The Chief Secretary was asked to submit information regarding the letter in question, through an authorized representative, by February 25,” commission secretary VV Palnitkar said.

Ambedkar had attached along with his application a news report that said Pawar’s letter to Thackeray demanded formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the violence between Koregaon and Bhima and accused the Fadnavis government of sheltering the conspirators.

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Ambedkar initially asked the Commission to pass an order directing Sharad Pawar to produce a copy of the letter given to Uddhav Thackeray, along with related documents. But in August last year, Pawar informed the Commission through his lawyer that he did not have a copy of this letter.

The Commission then accepted Ambedkar’s request seeking the copy of this letter and related documents from Uddhav Thackeray.

But Thackeray also did not produce the copy of the said letter. Thackeray stated in his affidavit that during his tenure as CM of Maharashtra (November 2019 to June 2022) a transparent administrative procedure was followed to maintain records of all official documents and letters in his name in his capacity as Chief Minister of the CMO. “So if Sharad Pawar had given me any letter regarding the violence in Koregaon Bhima, it should be in the CMO,” Thackeray said.

The two-member Commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice JN Patel was formed by the state government to probe the cause of violence in Koregaon Bhima area in Pune on January 1, 2018, in which one person was killed and several others were injured. Former chief secretary Sumit Mallick is the second member of the Commission.

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“The next hearings of the Commission will be held in Pune between February 25 and 27, 2026,” said Commission lawyer Aashish Satpute.

Chandan Haygunde is assistant editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With more than 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region’s most authoritative voices on crime, national security and legal issues. Professional Profile Specialization: Specializes in covering topics related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left-wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics trafficking, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He helms the widely read weekly series ‘Pune Crime Files’. He is widely recognized for his in-depth coverage of cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: Your portfolio includes coverage of crimes primarily under the jurisdiction of Pune city, Pune rural police and Pimpri Chinchwad, along with sensitive cases of the state, which are being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Prior to his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique basic understanding of the socio-political landscape of Maharashtra. Awards and Recognition: Earned the CMS PANOS Young Environmental Journalist award in January 2014 for investigative reporting on illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. He received the Outstanding Investigative Journalism Award by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth, a ‘Maoist commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on investigations into high-profile terrorism cases, trafficking interstate firearms and leopard movements in Pune. city, cyber scams and Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry hearings. 1. High-profile crimes and cases of terrorism “The technician linked to Al-Qaeda preached that democracy goes against Shariat” (November 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “Case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and organizer of Elgaar Parishad, granted interim bail by high court” (November 20, 2025) Track updates in the high-profile Elgaar Parishad case related to alleged Naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (November 24, 2025) After arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consultant anesthetist of a Pune hospital. “A year after the locomotive pilot avoided tragedy by detecting a gas cylinder on the train tracks, the investigation is still inconclusive” (December 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of an alleged sabotage incident that could have derailed a train. “No records available of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation: Author, former IAS officer Vishwas Patil, tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (December 1, 2025) Report on a sensitive issue related to violence in Koregaon Bhima. 2. Inter-state gun rampage “Pune police raid ‘gun village’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 arrested, 50 ovens destroyed” (Nov 22, 2025) “Recognition a week early, micro-planning: How Pune police raided ‘gun village’ in MP” (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti Village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime and Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad Police Arrest ‘Bank Account Provider’ with Links to China, Nationwide Cyber Scams” (November 27, 2025) 2025) Report on tricks used by cyber fraudsters who dupe people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: Investigative Coup Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate Deep covert sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writings often go beyond the “police version” of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic failures. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent monitoring of urban link-Maoist cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers (Twitter): @chandan_pune …Read more

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