Pune: Rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar’s family members are still unhappy with the investigation in his murder case and have claimed that the probe has not reached a logical conclusion yet. Dr Dabholkar was shot dead by two assailants near Omkareshwar temple behind the Shaniwar Peth police chowky on August 20, 2013 while he was returning home after a morning walk.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made eight arrests in the Dr Dabholkar murder case so far. However, Dr Dabholkar’s son Hamid and daughter Mukta believe that even seven years after the crime was committed justice has not been delivered.
In a statement issued to the media, Mukta and Hamid said, “The CBI has not been able to find the ‘masterminds’ on whose instructions Dr Dabholkar was murdered. As a result the threat to the lives of rationalists, activists and journalists remain imminent till date.”
The statement further says, “Investigation has stopped after the arrest of eight persons including Virendra Tawade and Amol Kale. The CBI must go ahead and investigate the masterminds of the murder failing which the danger to the lives of rationalist thinkers will not fade away. Seven years after the murder, the investigation remains incomplete.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police SR Singh, the officer in charge of the investigation from the CBI team, had recovered the weapon used in Dabholkar’s murder and later thrown in the Thane creek. The CBI team has arrested Sanatan Sanstha member and ENT surgeon Dr Vinod Tawade in 2016 who was allegedly the mastermind behind the murder. Three others identified as Amol Kale, Amit Digwekar and Rajesh Bangera were also arrested in September 2017.
In August 2018, CBI arrested Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar after identifying them as the ones who opened fire at Dabholkar on August 20, 2013. Later, Vikram Bhave and Advocate Sanjiv Punalekar were arrested by CBI in May 2019 on the basis of a statement by Kalaskar.
