Dabholkar case: Eliminating 'anti-Hindus' intention of accused, CBI tells Bombay HC

Bombay High Court. File Pic

The intention of accused Virendrasinh Tawade and others arrested in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case, was to eliminate 'anti-Hindus' and those opposed to the beliefs and customs of right-wing groups Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, the CBI has told the Bombay High Court.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also said that the intention of the accused was to strike terror in the society by killing those who are considered as "anti-Hindu, evil doers, dharmadrohi or durjan".

The CBI said this in its affidavit filed in response to a bail plea by Tawade, one of the prime accused in Dabholkar murder case.

The CBI's case is that Tawade was the main conspirator, who planned with shooters Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and with advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave to kill Dabholkar.

Dabholkar, who was championing the anti-superstition cause through his organisation 'Andhashaddha Nirmula Samiti', was shot dead by two bike-borne men when he was on a morning walk in Pune on August 20, 2013.

Tawade was arrested by the CBI in June 2016. He had approached the high court seeking bail after a special court in Pune refused to grant him bail in September 2020.

In its affidavit, the CBI said that the intention of Tawade and others, who belonged to right-wing groups Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti was to "eliminate those persons, who are considered as 'evil doers, anti-Hindu, dharmadrohi or durjan' as they are opposed to their beliefs and customs".

It added that through these killings, the Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, right wing groups, wanted to strike terror in the society.

The probe agency claimed that there were links between the killings of Dabholkar and other activists - Gauri Lankesh, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi.

"It (killings) was intended to intimidate and coerce individuals or groups, who act against or oppose the beliefs and customs of the Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, would be dealt with brutally," the CBI said.

The agency further claimed that the Sanatan Sanstha had termed Dabholkar and his organization as "anti-Hindu" and had in the past staged protests against him.

The agency in its affidavit further said that during the probe, the connections of these accused with three other killings - Govind Pansare, Gauri Lankesh and M M Kalburgi - was revealed and that these were not just simple murders but an act of terrorism.

"Hence the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act were invoked in these cases," it said.

The agency, while opposing Tawade's bail plea, said that releasing him on bail would be a threat to the society as the present case was an "ideological murder having national and international ramifications".

Tawade's bail plea was scheduled to be heard on Thursday by a division bench of Justices P B Varale and A S Kilor, but due to paucity of time it could not do so. It will now be listed for hearing in due course.

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