The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday submitted a status report as well as a sealed envelope with the names of two suspects in the rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case, saying that the investigating officers have zeroed in on two suspects who are members of right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha. Meanwhile, the Special Investigation (SIT) submitted its status report in the social activist Govind Pansare murder case.
CBI counsel Rebecca Gonsalves informed the court the agency has put both the suspects under surveillance for their alleged role in the murder case.
Ms Gonsalves also told the division bench of Justice R.V. More and Justice R.G. Ketkar that the agency has so far not found any evidence to link Sanatan member Rudra Patil, a wanted suspect in the 2009 Goa bomb blast case, with the Dabholkar murder.
During the hearing, the bench appreciated the investigation done by the SIT in the Pansare case. The CBI is probing the Dabholkar murder case while the SIT of the state CID was formed to investigate Pansare’s killing.
The state CID in its report informed the court that it would be filing its chargesheet within a 90-day period against arrested accused Sameer Gaikwad. The court has directed both the agencies to file fresh status reports by November 30. After perusing the report, the bench observed that SIT was doing a better work than the CBI. The judges also said, “The probe in the Dabholkar case could be lagging behind because of shortage of manpower in the agency (CBI).
The court, which was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by the family of Dabholkar and family members of Pansare, expressed dissatisfaction after perusing the CBI’s report.
The court also remarked that there seemed to be a nexus between the two murders and the investigating agencies should consider looking into it together.
The court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by family members of both the slain activists seeking speedy investigation. Family of Pansare had filed a petition seeking an investigation by the SIT saying that the CBI could not make any headway in Dabholkar murder case.
