SC directs Maha govt to submit charge sheet in Koregaon-Bhima violence case by Dec 8

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to submit before it the charge sheet filed against arrested rights activists before a Pune court in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it wanted to see the "charges" against the accused and asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Maharashtra government, to submit before it by December 8 the charge sheet filed by the state police in a special court in Pune.

The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, was hearing an appeal of the state government against a Bombay High Court order refusing to extend the time limit of 90 days for filing the probe report in the case.

The bench has now posted the appeal for further hearing on December 11. Earlier the apex court had stayed the Bombay High Court order.

The Pune Police had arrested lawyer Surendra Gadling, Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen, Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, activist Mahesh Raut and Kerala native Rona Wilson in June for their alleged links with Maoists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).