No credible lead in Pansare shooting case yet: Fadnavis

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday admitted that no credible leads were found yet while probing the Govind Pansare attack case, but assured that the investigation was on the right track.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday admitted that no credible leads were found yet while probing the Govind Pansare attack case, but assured that the investigation was on the right track.

The CM said that the investigators had got information from the veteran CPI leader's wife Uma, who is the sole witness to the attack. This information would help the police in preparing sketches of the unidentified assailants and will prove helpful in further probe, he added.

Speaking to the media at Mantralaya, Fadnavis who also heads the home department said he was getting updates on the case from the top officials on a day-to-day basis. "It is true that there are no firm leads in the case so far and we cannot claim that the assailant would be nabbed soon. After the Uma, wife of the Govind Pansare, gained consciousness, she shared vital information about the attack, the investigators have fine-tuned the sketches," he said.

Pansare, a social activist and a Left leader who has been vocal on several issues in the past - including the murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar and the toll tax imposed in Kolhapur, was shot at outside his house on Monday. His wife was attacked too. The couple is undergoing treatment at a Kolhapur hospital. While Uma is out of danger, Pansare continues to be critical.

Minister of state for the home Ram Shinde said the police have been probing the various possible angles including Pansare's position in his party, his stand on the toll tax in Kolhapur and his speeches against the RSS. He reiterated that the police have formed twenty teams comprising top officials from the region.

Meanwhile, taking suo motu cognisance of the media reports, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday issued notices to Maharashtra chief secretary and state police chief to submit reports within four weeks.

"The Commission considers the incident as very serious and has observed that it is the duty of the state to recognise and acknowledge the valuable contributions made by human rights defenders and create an environment in which they can act safely and freely," said a press release issued by the NHRC on Wednesday