Devendra Fadnavis govt withdraws six cases against Sambhaji Bhide

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has withdrawn at least six cases against Sambhaji Bhide, who has been in the limelight since the Bhima-Koregaon violence this January. Dalit outfits have alleged that Bhide incited his followers to attack Dalits, leading to the January violence.

Three of the cases withdrawn were filed after his supporters protested against the screening of Jodha Akbar in 2008. The cases against Bhide were withdrawn in June 2017.

“I had to file two appeals to find out this information. The government was not willing to give this information to me,” said RTI activist Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh. He had asked for information on the cases against politicians the state had withdrawn. Cases against senior BJP and Shiv Sena leaders too have been withdrawn, he said.


“I have come to know from the courts that three more cases against Bhide have been withdrawn. There are no details on them in the RTI reply,” Shaikh told ET and added that he has already filed an appeal as the information given by the state home department was incomplete.

The news of the withdrawal of cases could boomerang on the BJP.

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar said that the move would benefit his outfit.