Two convicted, three acquitted in Narendra Dabholkar murder case.
Narendra Dabholkar, a renowned rationalist aged 67, was fatally shot during his morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge on August 20, 2013.
In a significant development, a special UAPA court in Pune has delivered its verdict in the murder case of Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, a prominent anti-superstition activist. Two individuals, Sharad Kalaskar and Sachin Andure, have been found guilty of the murder, while three others, Virendrasinh Tawade, Sanjiv Punalekar, and Vikram Bhave.
Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, aged 67, was assassinated while on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge on August 20, 2013. The verdict marks a significant milestone in the quest for justice for Dabholkar, who dedicated his life to combating superstition and promoting rationalism.
Additional sessions judge A A Jadhav of the special court for cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act pronounced the judgment on Friday, as confirmed by special public prosecutor Prakash Suryawanshi.
The prosecution presented 20 witnesses during the trial, while the defense called upon two witnesses. Throughout the proceedings, the prosecution argued that the accused individuals were opposed to Dabholkar’s crusade against superstition.
Initially, the Pune police investigated the case, but in 2014, following a Bombay High Court order, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) assumed control of the probe. The agency arrested. The prosecution claimed that Tawade was one of the masterminds behind Dabholkar’s murder.
The CBI’s investigation revealed links between the accused and Sanatan Sanstha, an organization known for its opposition to the work undertaken by Dabholkar’s organization, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (Committee for the Eradication of Superstition in Maharashtra).
Initially, the CBI named Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar as the shooters in its charge sheet. However, in a subsequent development, Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar were arrested, and the CBI alleged in a supplementary charge sheet that they were the ones who carried out the shooting. Additionally, advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave were arrested as alleged co-conspirators.
During the trial, the defense questioned the CBI’s changing stance on the identity of the shooters. The accused were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including conspiracy, murder, as well as relevant sections of the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
While Tawade, Andure, and Kalaskar remain incarcerated, Punalekar and Bhave have been granted bail pending further legal proceedings.
Dabholkar’s murder was not an isolated incident but part of a series of attacks targeting rationalists and activists. In the subsequent four years, three other individuals were also assassinated: communist leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur (February 2015), Kannada scholar and writer M M Kalburgi in Dharwad (August 2015), and journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru (September 2017). It is suspected that the perpetrators of these four murders are connected to each other.
The verdict in the Narendra Dabholkar case is seen as a step forward in the quest for justice and accountability. It underscores the importance of upholding the rule of law and combating forces that seek to suppress free thought and expression. Dabholkar’s legacy continues to inspire individuals to challenge superstition and promote rational thinking, ensuring that his ideals endure despite the attempts to silence him.