Pune: Milind Ekbote, the prime accused of instigating violence near Koregaon Bhima on January 1, has been granted bail on a bond of Rs. 25,000 on Thursday by Pune Sessions court.
Earlier, the Bombay High Court had rejected anticipatory Ekbote’s bail application in February. He had approached the High Court for anticipatory bail after Pune Sessions court had rejected his plea in March.
Ekbote had been booked by the Pune Police in three separate FIRs for inciting violence under the Indian Penal Code, and sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Ekbote has been accused of instigating violent clashes that had broken out between Dalit and Maratha groups on January 1 when thousands of Dalits had gathered in Perne to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. At least one person was killed, several others were injured and property worth crores was destroyed during the violence.
Dalit leaders and workers at the village alleged that Hindutva activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had instigated the violence.
