Centre handed over Bhima-Koregaon case investigation to NIA without State govt's permission: Anil Deshmukh

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said that the Central government has handed over the investigation of the Bhima-Koregaon case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) without the State government's permission.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said that the Central government has handed over the investigation of the Bhima-Koregaon case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) without the State government's permission. "As the Home Minister of the State, I am raising my objection to it," said Deshmukh while speaking to reporters here.

Speaking about the reports of withdrawal of NCP chief Sharad Pawar's security, Deshmukh said, "He had Z+ security, he has served as the CM of Maharashtra for several years. The decision to withdraw his security is politics by the Central government, this is not good." In a high-level meeting at the State Secretariat on Thursday, Deshmukh along with senior police officers took a review of the Bhima-Koregaon cases.

On January 1, 2018, violence had erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. One person lost his life while several others were injured in the incident. Police had filed 58 cases against 162 people. (ANI)