Pune court to hear NIA plea in Koregaon-Bhima on Feb 6

A Pune sessions court will hear the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) plea to transfer the Elgar Parishad-Bhima-Koregaon case papers on February 6.

The development came after both the prosecution and defence lawyers sought more time to file their replies in the matter.

On January 29, the NIA had moved the Pune court seeking transfer of the case to the special NIA court in Mumbai, and handing over of all the documents, files and evidences to the NIA by the Pune Police, which investigated the cases since the past two years.

Since over a week, the NIA has been seeking handing over of the cases after the Centre transferred them to the NIA, and it has filed a fresh chargesheet in the Mumbai Court on January 27.

However, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is examining legal options before taking a final decision in the matter even as the Centre's move came for severe flak from the leaders of the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress alliance.

Monday's development comes barely a day after the Maharashtra government extended the tenure of the Bhima Koregaon commission of enquiry by two months before it was scheduled to expire on February 8.

The commission head, retired Chief Justice J.N. Patel of Calcutta High Court, had expressed displeasure over three months' pending salaries of its staff following which the state government swung into action.

( With inputs from IANS )