Two assailants fatally shot anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar on August 20, 2013, while he was on a morning walk in Pune, Maharashtra
A special court for UAPA cases in Maharashtra's Pune on Friday convicted and sentenced two men to life imprisonment and acquitted three, including key accused Virendrasinh Tawde, in the murder of well-known rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar. Dabholkar (67), an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead while on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge here on August 20, 2013. Reading out the order in a packed courtroom, Additional Sessions Judge (Special Court) P P Jadhav said that the prosecution had proved the charges of murder and conspiracy against Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and they have been awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Andure and Kalaskar had shot Dabholkar. The court acquitted accused ENT surgeon Tawde, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave for want of evidence. The prosecution examined 20 witnesses while the defence examined two witnesses during the trial. The accused were opposed to Dabholkar's
A special court for UAPA cases here is likely to pronounce the verdict in the murder case of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar on Friday. Dabholkar (67), a well-known anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead while on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge here on August 20, 2013. Additional sessions judge A A Jadhav of the special court for cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is likely to pronounce the judgement on Friday, said special public prosecutor Prakash Suryawanshi. The prosecution examined 20 witnesses while the defence examined two witnesses during the trial. The accused were opposed to Dabholkar's crusade against superstition, the prosecution had stated in its final arguments. The case was initially probed by Pune Police. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe in 2014 following a Bombay High Court order, and arrested Dr Virendrasinh Tawade, an ENT surgeon linked to the Hindu right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha, in June 2016. .
Advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, a member of the Sanatan Sanstha which came under investigators' scanner after Dabholkar's killing, were arrested in Mumbai
Pangarkar was arrested under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
The tip-off came from the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad, Thane, which had arrested three persons in a different case of explosives seizure
According to a report, Sanstha members refer to him as 'demon' and accuse him of betraying his faith
CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed against Tawde under the sections of 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of IPC