The Bombay High Court granted bail to six individuals accused in the Govind Pansare murder case. Pansare, a rationalist and activist, was shot by extremists near his home in Kolhapur in February 2015. The case has seen multiple delays, with the accused remaining in custody for years. The court’s decision marks a significant development in the long-pending trial.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court granted bail on Wednesday to six individuals accused in the 2015 murder of Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Govind Pansare.
Justice Anil Kilor approved bail for Sachin Andure, Ganesh Miskin, Amit Degvekar, Amit Baddi, Bharat Kurane, and Vasudev Suryavanshi.
The bail granted due to the lengthy incarceration of the accused, the presence of over 250 witnesses, and the lack of progress in the trial. Pansare was shot by extremists in February 2015 near his home in Kolhapur and died from his injuries five days later.
His daughter, Smita Pansare, subsequently approached the High Court, expressing concerns over the slow pace of the investigation. She argued that there was a larger conspiracy linking the murders of Pansare and other activists, including Narendra Dabholkar, M.M. Kalburgi, and Gauri Lankesh, suggesting that the mastermind behind these attacks was the same.
Earlier this month, the High Court halted judicial monitoring of the investigation into Pansare’s murder. Initially, a special investigation team (SIT) from the State Police’s Crime Investigation Department handled the case, but in August 2022, it was transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) following High Court orders.
Last year, the High Court also dismissed a petition from the Maharashtra government seeking to revoke the bail granted to Samir Gaikwad, another accused in Pansare’s murder.
Also Read: [Govind Pansare Murder Case] ‘No further Investigation Needed’: Bombay High Court
Govind Pansare a prominent rationalist, Communist leader, and anti-superstition activist known for his outspoken views against religious extremism and social injustices. He actively campaigned against blind faith, caste discrimination, and the glorification of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi.
Pansare was also associated with the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), an anti-superstition organization founded by Narendra Dabholkar, who was similarly assassinated in 2013. His activism often brought him into conflict with right-wing extremist groups, making him a target for violence.
On February 16, 2015, Pansare and his wife were shot near their residence in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. While his wife survived, Pansare succumbed to his injuries on February 20, 2015.