'Pansare murder accused wanted to take holy dip to repent for sins'

New call recordings, says SIT team, reveal that Govind Pansare murder accused Sameer Gaikwad, had told a friend about "two sins"; old recordings match voice sample

On Saturday, the Kolhapur police announced that the voice samples of Sameer Gaikwad, prime accused in the Govind Pansare murder case, have matched phone recordings from tapped conversations.

Also read: Govind Pansare murder - Sanatan Sanstha activist Samir Gaikwad's police custody extended

Sameer Gaikwad was produced at a Kolhapur court on September 16

Police have said that in the tapped conversations, Gaikwad has been heard telling Bhandup resident Jyoti Kamble, that he had “killed Pansare”. However, during interrogation, Gaikwad, 32, who is a member of the Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha said that he had said this as a “joke”.

Gaikwad was arrested by the Kohlapur police on September 16 in connection with the murder. On Saturday, the Kohlapur Magistrate Court extended Gaikwad’s police custody for two more days.

Also read: Arrested Sanatan Sanstha member Sameer Gaikwad grilled by NIA and Karnataka CID

“The Pune forensic laboratory has confirmed that the voice in the phone recording we had sent them matched with Gaikwad’s,” said a police officer, who is part of the Special Investigating Team (SIT) interrogating Gaikwad in Kolhapur.

Police said they have new recordings in which Gaikwad is heard telling a friend that he “needs to take a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela as he has committed a lot of sins”. “He is talking about taking dips in holy Godavari river twice as he had committed two sins. We are trying to find out if he means two murders by two sins,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.

Also read: This is an international conspiracy: Sanatan Sanstha spokesperson

The police said that they have four new suspects in the case as well. “All the people need to be investigated as the police were tied up with the Ganpati festival bandobast. We are trying to run scientific tests on Gaikwad since he is not cooperating with the investigation,” said the senior officer.

The police have seized around 23 mobiles and 33 SIM cards from Gaikwad.

Also read: They declared me a shaitan, says ex-student of Sanatan Sanstha founder

The Karnataka police, investigating the August murder of rationalist M M Kalburgi have already grilled Gaikwad, along with the National Investigating Agency. They may apply for his custody on Wednesday, after getting an order from a Karnataka court said a police officer.

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