The arguments in the bail application filed by advocate Sanjiv Punalekar, arrested in the murder case of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, commenced in a court in Pune on Tuesday.
The arrested lawyer was represented by advocate Virendra Ichalkaranjikar who has also represented three other arrested accused in the case - Virendrasinh Tawade, Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar.
Advocate Punalekar, along with his aide Vikram Vinay Bhave, were arrested based on an alleged confessional statement recorded by Sharad Kalaskar with the Karnataka Special investigation team (SIT) of Gauri Lankesh murder case. Kalaskar is named in the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as one of the two shooters that killed Narendra Dabholkar on August 20, 2013.
Advocate Ichalkaranjikar cited a Supreme Court order that validates use of a co-accused person’s confessional statement in the related case. However, Kalaskar’s statement was recorded under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act, 2000 in the Gauri Lankesh case.
“The confession by a co-accused can only be used against him when the two are tried in the same case,” said advocate Ichalkaranjikar . Punalekar, on the other hand, was booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act along with Arms Act and sections under the IPC.
Advocate Ichalkaranjikar also cited a report by the Kalina Forensic Laboratory (FSL) that claimed that the weapons seized by Thane police crime branch in a separate case on the day of Dabholkar’s murder was, in fact, the weapon used to kill Dabholkar.
{{/usCountry}}Advocate Ichalkaranjikar also cited a report by the Kalina Forensic Laboratory (FSL) that claimed that the weapons seized by Thane police crime branch in a separate case on the day of Dabholkar’s murder was, in fact, the weapon used to kill Dabholkar.
{{/usCountry}}The 7.65 mm calibre domestic-made pistol was seized three-four hours after Dabholkar murder from two men identified as Vikas Khandelwal and Manish Nagori in Mumbra.