Narendra Dabholkar murder case: Lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar gets bail

Sanjeev Punalekar (in blue shirt)

Pune: The Pune sessions court on Friday granted bail to lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case. Punalekar and his assistant Vikram Bhave were arrested by the CBI in the case on May 25. Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, Punalekar's lawyer, said it was a conditional bail.

The special Judge R M Pande granted bail to Sansthan Sanstha lawyer Sanjjev Punalekar who was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuth for charges of tampering the evidence and criminal conspiracy. The CBI claimed in the court that Punalekar is not only a lawyer but also one of the volunteers of right-wing organisation which was proved from the material that was seized from him.

Punalekar was directed by the court to visit the CBI office twice a week, not to leave the country without the agency's permission and not to pressure the witnesses. The CBI had opposed Punalekar's bail plea, saying he might tamper with evidence and influence the witnesses. On Friday, Judge Pande granted him bail after furnishing the personal bond of Rs 30,000. He has also been asked to be present in CBI Mumbai office every Monday and Thursday between 11 am to 2 pm.

Punalekar is accused of advising Sharad Kalaskar, one of the two alleged assailants who gunned down Dabholkar in Pune on August 20, 2013, to destroy the weapons used in the crime. Punalekar is the fourth accused to get bail in the case after Amit Degvekar, Amol Kale and Rajesh Bangera.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates