Court to record statements of accused in Dabholkar murder case after final CBI report

The process of recording the statements of the accused in the Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case will begin on September 18

The process of recording the statements of the accused in the Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case will begin on September 18 after the court accepts the Criminal Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report, special public prosecutor Prakash Suryavanshi said on Thursday. Suryavanshi said that the accused can produce their proof, and arguments will take place before the court after the CBI report is accepted.

Dr Dabholkar, while on a morning walk, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants near Omkareshwar Bridge in Shaniwar Peth on August 20, 2013. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The CBI this month concluded the cross-examination of the then investigating officer (now retired) in the Dr Dabholkar murder case before additional sessions judge, P P Jadhav. The central agency submitted its final report before the court on Sept 13, wherein it recommended discharge of the three accused – Amol Kale, Rakesh Bangera and Amit Digwekar – citing lack of ‘prosecutable evidence’ against them in the murder of Dr Dabholkar. The judge has now directed the defence counsels to file their written response by the next date of hearing scheduled on September 18.

The CBI had arrested Kale, Bangera and Digwekar in Sept 2018, three months after which, the city court granted them default bail. The CBI also failed to file a chargesheet against them within the stipulated 90-day period. The trio are also accused in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh while Kale and Digwekar are accused even in the murder of communist leader, Govind Pansare, in Kolhapur in February. The trio is lodged in a Bengaluru jail. The final report mentioned that an examination of the absconding accused – Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar – initially identified as shooters, is needed to unearth the conspiracy.

The trial in the Dr Dabholkar murder case is nearing completion, but the mastermind behind the killing remains at large. The trial is currently being conducted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the five accused individuals have been charged by the CBI in the case but the murder weapon has not yet been recovered. The court is conducting trial against the five accused – Sachin Andure, Sharad Kalaskar, Virendra Singh Tawade, Sanjeev Punalekar, and Vikram Bhave. While Andure and Kalaskar have been accused by the CBI, Dr Dabholkar’s son Hamid says that the mastermind is still at large.

The murder of Dr Dabholkar is believed to be linked to the killings of other rationalists in India. Dr Dabholkar, while on a morning walk, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants near Omkareshwar Bridge in Shaniwar Peth on August 20, 2013. The rationalist, founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS), dedicated his life to the eradication of social evils, religious superstition and the caste system.