Pune: Activists of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) held ‘Jawaab Do’ protests at the Vitthal Ramji Shinde bridge in front of Omkareshwar bridge on Thursday (August 20) morning. MANS has demanded that ‘real’ masterminds behind the murder of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, founder of the organisation, must be arrested at the earliest. During the protests, activists raised slogans and questions like ‘maarekari sapadle, sutradhar kadhi’ meaning the assailants were caught, but when would the masterminds be arrested?
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 case so far. However, Dr Dabholkar’s son Dr Hamid and daughter Mukta are still unhappy with the probe. They had released a statement in this regard and claimed that the probe has not reached a logical conclusion yet.
Dr Hamid said, “So the investigations in the case has revealed one fact that these are not simply killings but it is an act of terrorism. That is why the suspects in this case have been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.”
“However, even seven years after the crime was committed justice has not been delivered. 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,” he stated.
In a statement released to the media, Hamid and Mukta had said that 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.
INVESTIGATION SO FAR
• CBI team arrested Sanatan Sanstha member and ENT surgeon Dr Vinod Tawade in 2016, the alleged mastermind behind the murder.
• CBI recovered the weapon used in Dabholkar’s murder, from the Thane creek.
• Three others 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.
• Vikram Bhave and Advocate Sanjiv Punalekar arrested in May 2019.
