Court cancels Dr Tawade’s bail in Pansare murder case

Special Public Prosecutor Shivajirao Rane said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had found proof of Dr Tawade’s involvement in the murder

Kolhapur District and sessions judge SS Tambe on Tuesday cancelled the bail of Dr Virendra Tawade and directed the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to take him into custody in connection with his alleged role in the murder of rationalist Govind Pansare.

At that time, he was in the CBI custody in connection with his role in Dr Narendra Dabholkar’s assassination.   (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Special Public Prosecutor Shivajirao Rane said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had found proof of Dr Tawade’s involvement in the murder. At that time, he was in the CBI custody in connection with his role in Dr Narendra Dabholkar’s assassination.

The SIT took him into custody in September 2016. The investigators claimed that Dr Tawade not only hatched the conspiracy of murder but provided the assailants with money, weapons, training, and transport residential facilities.

Dr Tawade’s counsel had moved an application seeking bail in the case. After hearing the arguments of SPP advocate Harshad Nimbalkar and Shivajirao Rane and defence counsel advocate Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, the judge cancelled the bail of Dr Tawade.

After being granted bail, Dr Tawade was acquitted of murder charges in Dr Dabholkar’s murder case. His defence counsel had argued for bail on grounds of his acquittal in Dr Dabholkar’s case.

A special ATS court in Kolhapur in January had framed charges of murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy, among others, against 10 accused in the murder of Pansare. A special public prosecutor proposed before the court that apart from IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention), the accused be charged under 3(1)/25(1b) (a) and 5/27 of the Indian Arms Act.