PUNE, 4 DEC. The Koregaon Bhima Inquiry Commission, based in Pune, is facing a challenge in securing the appearance and submission of crucial evidence from former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Following Thackeray's recent failure to appear before the commission despite a formal notice, an application has been filed by the lawyers representing Prakash Ambedkar, seeking an arrest warrant against the former Chief Minister for non-compliance. The commission is yet to pass an order on this request.
Background on the Non-Compliance
The controversy centers around a letter that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had allegedly written to the then-Chief Minister Thackeray in January 2020 concerning the violence that occurred near Koregaon Bhima in 2018. Pawar, who had earlier testified before the commission, stated that he did not possess a copy of the letter anymore.
Subsequently, the inquiry panel directed Thackeray to produce the said document. Notices were issued to him on multiple occasions—reportedly on September 12 and October 27, and another show-cause notice was also issued, asking him to explain why an application for a bailable warrant against him should not be allowed. Despite these formal directives, neither Thackeray nor any representative on his behalf appeared before the commission on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 (as per one of the reports) or submitted the requested letter.
Ambedkar’s Plea and Commission’s Stance
Advocates for Prakash Ambedkar, the founder-president of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and a witness in the case, filed an application demanding the issuance of a warrant, citing Thackeray’s continued disregard for the commission's instructions. The documents sought by Ambedkar are significant as they allegedly contain claims made by Sharad Pawar that certain right-wing organizations were responsible for the 2018 violence. The commission, led by former High Court Chief Justice J.N. Patel, is currently considering the plea for the warrant. It had previously warned that if Thackeray or his legal representative failed to appear, "further action permissible in law" would be taken.
The commission was constituted by the Maharashtra government in February 2018 to investigate the widespread violence that erupted near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial on January 1, 2018.
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