The Pune City Court sentenced Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, along with a penalty of Rs 5 lakh. However, Dr. Virendrasingh Tawade, Vikram Bhave, and Sanjeev Punalekar were acquitted of all charges.
Pune, Maharashtra: Today (10th May): A Pune court convicted the accused in the murder case of renowned rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. Two accused individuals, Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar, have been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, along with a penalty of Rs 5 lakh. Meanwhile, Dr. Virendrasingh Tawade, Vikram Bhave, and Sanjeev Punalekar have been acquitted of all charges.
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The judgment was pronounced by Sessions Judge PP Jadhav after a lengthy trial that continued nearly three years. Although the sessions case was initiated in 2016, the trial proceedings only commenced in 2021.
Background
On August 20, 2013, Dabholkar was shot dead by two assailants while he was on his morning walk in Pune. The murder sent shockwaves across the country and led to widespread protests demanding justice. Initially, the Pune City police handled the investigation, but due to the intensity of the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over in 2014.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) between 2016 and 2019 arrested several individuals who were allegedly linked to the Sanatan Sanstha organization. The CBI took over the case from the Pune City police in 2014 and subsequently filed a chargesheet against five accused persons. In the subsequent trial, five accused persons were charged. Dr. Virendrasingh Tawade, Sachin Andure, Sharad Kalaskar, and Vikram Bhave faced charges of criminal conspiracy, murder, and offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act. Sanjeev Punalekar, a lawyer, was charged with causing the disappearance of evidence
Four of the accused, namely Dr. Virendrasingh Tawade, Sachin Andure, Sharad Kalaskar, and Vikram Bhave, faced charges under Sections 302 read with Section 120B for criminal conspiracy and executing the murder. Additionally, they were charged with offenses under Section 16 (terrorist act) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Arms Act. Another accused, Sanjeev Punalekar, a lawyer based in Mumbai, was charged with an offense under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for causing the disappearance of evidence.
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Currently, Tawade, Andure, and Kalaskar are in judicial custody, while Bhave and Punalekar have been released on bail.
During the trial, the court observed that there was a conspiracy to eliminate Dr. Dabholkar in order to instill fear in the minds of the general public and discourage others from engaging in similar work as the ‘Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti.’
Following Dabholkar’s murder in 2013, his daughter and son approached the High Court, seeking the appointment of an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) and requesting the court to oversee the investigation. From August 2015, the High Court began monitoring the progress of the investigation.
In December 2022, Tawade filed an interim application with the court, requesting the discontinuation of the monitoring process, citing the commencement of the murder case trial. Another accused also subsequently sought the discontinuation of monitoring.
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Acknowledging the investigating agency’s assertion that the trial could be concluded within two months if expedited, the High Court decided to discontinue its monitoring of the investigation.
The conviction of two accused individuals in the murder of Narendra Dabholkar marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice. The court’s decision brings some closure to the long-standing case and offers solace to the family and supporters of the late rationalist.
