Pune: The Supreme Court, while extending interim relief from arrest to Samast Hindu Aghadi President Milind Ekbote till March 14, on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra government why he had not been arrested earlier. The apex court also directed the police to conduct inquiries with Ekbote and submit an affidavit about the progress of the case related to violence at Koregaon-Bhima on January 1. 

The government lawyer submitted to the court that police made all efforts to nab him but he remained elusive.  Earlier on February 7, the court had granted pre-arrest bail to Ekbote till February 20 and had ordered that he should be released on bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 1 lakh. 

A case was registered against Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, for allegedly ‘inciting’ violence that left a man dead near Koregaon-Bhima on January 1. The FIR was registered with Shikrapur police station under Pune rural police.

Anita Sawale (30) of Kalewadi had lodged a complaint on January 2. She alleged that the duo had incited people who had attacked those who had gathered at Vijay Stambh at Koregaon-Bhima to celebrate 200 years of the famous battle there. One person had died and several others were injured while properties worth crores of rupees were damaged in the riots. Later, the FIR was transferred to Shikrapur police station under Pune rural police for further investigation as Koregaon-Bhima falls under their jurisdiction.