Bombay High Court: Don’t waste time, finish rationalist murders probe

The Bombay high court on Wednesday warned the state government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against wasting time and directed them to complete investigations into the murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and social activist Govind Pansare.

“The first murder took place in 2013 and the second in 2015. We are now in 2016; how much more time do you need to investigate these murder cases ” asked the division bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and Justice Dr Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi. “The anxiety of the court is to end this matter as soon as possible,” it said adding, “How many reports and envelopes should we (the court) take on record from you ”

Chief public prosecutor Sandeep Shinde argued before the court that as far as the murder of Pansare was concerned, the chargesheet was already filed and while the court wanted to frame charges to conduct the trial, the investigating agency requested the court to wait for sometime before framing charges as it wanted to further investigate the matter and bring more evidence to strengthen the case against the accused.

He requested the high court to direct the trial court not to frame charges for some more time because he was informed by police officers that the trial court would insist upon framing of charges on the next date of hearing i.e. April 29. The bench, however, refused to do so and said that it is not proper that state was asking high court to restrain the trial court from conducting the trial.

The bench also refused to stay the trial for some period on the request of the family, which had doubts about the investigation, and said, “At least you should have some faith in the judiciary.” The judges further said, “We want fair and free investigation. No interference from anybody.”

When advocate Shinde and additional solicitor general Anil Singh informed the court that they had found a similarity in all the three murders (Dabholkar, Pansare and scholar M.M. Kalburgi). The bench said, “Are you (investigating agencies) investigating the cases or comparing them ” The bench later posted this matter for further hearing on May 3.

The CBI is probing the Dabholkar murder case while an SIT of the state CID is investigating the murder of Pansare. Dabholkar was killed in August 2013, while Pansare was shot dead on February 16, 2015 and the CBI in the past had stated that it was probing the role of right wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha in Dabholkar’s murder.