Hindutava leader Milind Ekbote detained by Pune Rural Police

Pune: Hindutava leader Milind Ekbote, who is accused of orchestrating violence on January 1 during the 200th year celebrations of battle of Korgaon Bhima near Pune was detained by the Pune rural police, after his application for an anticipatory bail was rejected by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Advocate Nishant Katneshwarkar, standing counsel for the state of Maharashtra in the Supreme Court said, Application of Milind Ekbote for an anticipatory bail has been rejected after consideration of the status report filed by the state on the case. Talking to UNI, a senior police official of Pune rural police said we have detained Mr Ekbote from his Pune house on Wednesday.

The first information reports (FIRs) were registered against Ekbote and another Hindutva leader from Sangli, Manohar alias Sambhaji Bhide by Dalit activists, alleging their role in the violence at Koregaon Bhima, at a time when lakhs of Dalits had come to the Jaystambh in Perne village on Pune-Ahmednagar road for marking the 200th year of battle of Bhima Koregaon on January 1.

Police said the duo were booked on charges of inciting violence, attempt to murder and atrocity against Dalits. Later, the Pune rural police invoked additional sections 153 (a), 120 (b) and 117 of IPC against Ekbote, claiming that preliminary investigation has found his involvement in the January 1 violence in Koregaon Bhima. (UNI)