In a significant development before the Koregaon Bhima inquiry commission, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has formally stated that any letter written to him by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the 2018 Koregaon Bhima violence, would be in the possession of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
The Core of the Affidavit and the Commission's Query
The submission came in the form of an affidavit filed by Thackeray's lawyer, Asim Sarode, before the two-member inquiry panel in Pune on Thursday. This was in response to an application filed by Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on August 26, 2025. Ambedkar had sought the commission's direction to Thackeray to produce a specific letter allegedly written by Sharad Pawar.
Ambedkar's application referenced an e-paper report from January 1, 2020. The report claimed that in his letter, Pawar had alleged the January 1, 2018, riot was a "state-conspiracy" under the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The letter reportedly accused the Fadnavis government of a total misuse of power in connivance with the police, protecting those behind the conspiracy and misleading the public. The central demand in the alleged letter was for an SIT probe into the violence.
Thackeray's Stance on Record Management and the Riots
In his sworn statement, Uddhav Thackeray clarified the procedural aspects of his tenure. He asserted that during his time as Chief Minister, all government work at the state secretariat (Mantralaya) was streamlined. All correspondence addressed to the Chief Minister was systematically handed over to the CMO.
"As such, all government work-related papers and correspondence made with him in his capacity as then CM were kept with the CMO and it (CMO) must have the letter, if any, written by Pawar," the affidavit stated. This effectively shifts the onus of producing the document, should it exist, to the institutional office rather than him personally.
Beyond the administrative detail, Thackeray also expressed his views on the Koregaon Bhima violence itself. He described the riot as "a matter of hatred against humanity." His affidavit noted, "The names of some people have constantly kept figuring as suspects behind the riot and I feel justice needs to be done to the Dalit brothers who faced injustice and atrocity."
Next Steps and Background of the Inquiry
Reacting to the affidavit, Prakash Ambedkar's lawyer, Kiran Kadam, told the Times of India that they are now planning to file a fresh application. On January 9, they will seek summons to the CMO to produce the letter in question, as referenced in their earlier plea.
The Koregaon Bhima inquiry commission was established by the Maharashtra government in February 2018. Headed by former High Court Chief Justice J.N. Patel and a former state chief secretary, its mandate is to investigate the causes of the violence. The commission has received several extensions from the government to complete its extensive inquiry process.
The violence in question erupted during the bicentennial anniversary of the 1818 Battle of Koregaon Bhima near the war memorial in Pune district. According to police reports, clashes between caste groups led to one death and injuries to several people, including 10 police personnel. The incident remains a sensitive and politically charged issue in Maharashtra's socio-political landscape.
