Bhima-Koregaon violence: Ekbote's anticipatory bail plea

A Pune court today rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Milind Ekbote, a Hindu right leader, booked for allegedly inciting violence on January 1 during an event to commemorate the bicentenary of the Koregaon-Bhima battle.
District Judge PC Bhagure rejected the anticipatory bail petition of Ekbote, defence counsel Prasad Kulkarni said.
Ekbote had approached the court seeking anticipatory bail.
A case was registered against Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly "inciting" the violence that left a man dead. Subsequent protests against the incident had disrupted normal life Maharashtra capital Mumbai.

The two organisations had opposed the celebration of the "British victory" in the battle between the armies of the East India Company and the Peshwa. People belonging to the Mahar community among Dalits had fought for the British, while the Peshwas were Brahmins. Dalit organisations celebrate the victory as a symbol of their resurgence.
A member of the Bahujan Republican Socialist Party from Pune had filed a police complaint against the two leaders under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and various sections of the IPC, accusing them of "orchestrating" the violence.
Dalit organisations have been seeking arrest of the two leaders.