PTI, NEW DELHI: Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) member Virendrasing Tawde was today charge sheeted by CBI for the 2013 broad daylight killing of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, who it allegedly considered a “Dharma Drohi” (traitor to religion). Hindu Janajagruti Samiti is an affiliate of Sanatan Sanstha which has a massive presence in Goa.
CBI filed a charge sheet before Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pune, against Tawde, an ENT surgeon who gave up his practice in 2001 to become member of Sanatan Sanstha, levelling charges under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and murder.
“The motive for the murder of Narendra Dabholkar was allegedly the long enmity/hatred that existed between two private organisations. Narendra Dabholkar was the founder of a Satara (Maharashtra) based organisation (Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti ANS) and the accused (doctor) was part of another private organisation based at Kolhapur (Maharashtra) (Sanatan Sanstha),” CBI spokesperson said.
The agency has managed to piece together links of Tawde with Sanstha, shooter-killer Vinay Pawar and another person involved in criminal conspiracy Sarang Akolkar, who is wanted by NIA in Goa blast case. A Red Corner Notice is pending against him, sources in the agency said giving details of charge sheet.
The crucial piece of evidence with CBI are emails of Tawde, besides testimony of some key persons whose help was sought in the murder of Dabholkar whose
tireless campaign against superstitious practices resulted in Maharashtra enacting a law to check them, they said.
CBI said the campaign was seen by Sanatan Sanstha as against Hindu religion and the organisation described Dabholkar as “Dharma Dhrohi” (traitor to religion).
Tawde had allegedly tried to procure country-made guns from UP and MP and even attempted to manufacture the weapons, they said.
Tawde was also accused of trying to procure foreign made weapons, including assault rifles from Assam.
Sources alleged a few years back Tawde was pursuing an agenda of arming 15,000 persons with sophisticated weapons to “defend the religion” and even sanctioned that cadres may “indulge in loot and theft” to arrange the money for it.
Akolkar, who is wanted in the Goa blasts and alleged shooter Pawar are still absconding.
CBI sources said two days before Dabholkar was killed, an article had appeared in Dainik Sanatan Prabhat published by Sanatan Sanstha which carried the sketch of a person, denoting ‘ANS’ (Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti) of the rationalist, lying on ground with a flag piercing his chest and blood oozing out. The sources said it could have been a signal to assassinate of Dabholkar.
“In the ongoing investigation, searches were conducted on June 1, 2016 at Pune (Akolkar’s residence ) and Panvel (Tawde), both in Maharashtra Certain documents and mobile numbers and e-mails etc. recovered during searches were scrutinised,” the official said.
The agency is likely to file more charge sheets in the matter, the spokesperson said.
“Initial investigation revealed that the said doctor had allegedly conspired to the murder of Narendra Dabholkar with two other accused persons including an absconder. Further investigation is continuing to unearth the entire conspiracy and to reveal the identity of all known/unknown accused,” she said.
According to the chargesheet, Sanatan Sanstha “believed that Dr Dabholkar was…the force behind Andhshraddha Nirmulan Bill-2005, (anti-superstition bill) which was pending to be passed by the assembly of Maharashtra state.”
The bill was passed by the legislature after Dabholkar’s death.
The chargesheet says that Vinay Pawar and Sarang Akolkar shot dead Dr Dabholkar on August 20, 2013 at around 7.25 am at Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune. Pawar was riding a bike while Akolkar rode pillion.
Eye-witnesses including municipal sweepers and two local residents saw the suspects fleeing away from the spot on a black motor-cycle, it says.
CBI made sketches of the suspects and a Kolhapur-based witness who was associated with Sanatan Sanstha confirmed the identity of Akolkar and Pawar, it says.
On the direction of one Durgesh Samant of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Tawde had stopped his other activities in the organisation and shifted his focus to Dabholkar and the anti-superstition bill, CBI says.
In April 2013 Tawde met Sanjay Sadvilkar, formerly associated with Sanstha, and sought his help for firearms, it says.
“It may be mentioned that office of Comrade Govind Pansare was also near the shop of Sadvilkar and Pansare was fatally shot at on February 16, 2015 and succumbed to injury on February 20, 2015,” CBI has noted.
