Narendra Dabholkar Murder : 2 Sentenced to Life, 3 Acquitted in Activist Death Case

A special court in Pune on Friday convicted two accused, Sachin Andure and Sarad Kalaskar, and sentenced them to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.The court also acquitted three others, Virendra Tawade, Advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, for lack of evidence. Tawade had been alleged to be the main conspirator of the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The trial in the 2013 murder case commenced in 2021, while Pune Sessions judge, PP Jadhav, had reserved the judgment in the case last month. Dabholkar, founder of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti was shot by two bike-borne assailants while on his morning walk in Pune on August 20, 2013.He had been running the Samiti for many years when he published various books and undertook workshops for the eradication of superstition. After his murder in 2013, amidst much public outcry, the case was transferred from the Pune Police to the CBI by the Bombay High Court, on the petitions filed by Dabholkar's daughter and son.The petitions concerning the case were still being heard by the court. Subsequently, five accused, Virendra Singh Tawade, Sachin Andure, Sharad Kalaskar, Vikram Bhave and advocate Sanjeev Punalekar were arrested in the case.

The five were charged with offences under Sections 302 with 120B or 34 for murder and criminal conspiracy and Section 16 (terrorist act) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and provisions of the Arms Act. They were also charged under section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for tampering with evidence. The charges in the case were framed by the Pune sessions court on September 15, 2021 against all five accused. The court observed that a conspiracy to eliminate Dabholkar was hatched so as to create a terror in the mind of the people, so that no one should undertake the work of 'Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti'.While Tawade, Andure and Kalaskar were in judicial custody, Punalekar and Bhave were out on bail. During the hearing, while the prosecution was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Prakash Suryavanshi, advocate Prakash Salsingikar, representing Tawade and Andure, pointed to the various theories and names of accused that had been floated by the CBI before zeroing in on the prime suspects in the case.

Speaking to LokmatTimes.com Dabholkar’s daughter Mukta Dabholkar said, “ We are satisfied that the two assailants have been convicted and the court has pronounced life sentence, we respect the court's verdict. However, the masterminds are still running free. The organization responsible for the killing is a radical organisation and there has to be a mastermind behind this. We will move to a higher court to get these questions answered and expose the conspiracy behind the murder.”

 

Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case timeline

 

August 20, 2013 : Murder of Dr Narendra Dabholkar in Pune.

Investigation started by Pune Police.

May 2014: Pune Police hands over investigation sources to CBI.

June 2016: After two years, the first accused Dr. Virender Singh Tawde arrested from Panvel.

September 2016: A chargesheet filed against Virender Singh Tawde for murder and conspiracy to murder

August 2018: Vaibhav Raut and Sharad Kalskar arrested by Maharashtra ATS.

In 2018, the CBI had moved to invoke the anti-terror legislation Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the case.

May 2019: Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, lawyers by profession, arrested by CBI; Court releases Punalekar and Vikram Bhave on bail.

September 2019: Names of Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar, associated with Sanatan Sanstha, named as accused in the Dabholkar murder case, dropped from the charge sheet.

September 2021: Pune District and Sessions Court finalises the chargesheet filed against the arrested accused Dr Darbhalkar Virender Singh Tawde, Sachin Andure, Sharad Kalaskar, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave.

After eight years in 2021, the case against the accused arrested by CBI begins.

May 2024: The Pune District and Sessions Court convicts Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and sentenced them to life imprisonment while ENT surgeon Dr Virendrasinh Tawde, Lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar and his aide Vikram Bhave have been acquitted due to lack of evidence.