Dabholkar case: Eliminating 'anti-Hindus' intention of accused, CBI tells HC

The intention of accused Virendrasinh Tawade and others arrested in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case was to eliminate antiHindus and those opposed to the beliefs and customs of rightwing groups Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti the CBI has told the Bombay High CourtThe Central Bureau of Investigation CBI also said that the intention of the accused was to strike terror in the society by killing those who are considered as antiHindu evil doers dharmadrohi or durjanThe CBI said this in its affidavit filed in response to a bail plea by Tawade one of the prime accused in Dabholkar murder caseThe CBIs case is that Tawade was the main conspirator who planned with shooters Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and with advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave to kill DabholkarDabholkar who was championing the antisuperstition cause through his organisation Andhashaddha Nirmula Samiti was shot dead by two bikeborne men when he was on a morning walk in Pune on August 20 2013Tawade was arrested by the CBI in June 2016 He had approached the high court seeking bail after a special court in Pune refused to grant him bail in September 2020In its affidavit the CBI said that the intention of Tawade and others who belonged to rightwing groups Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti was to eliminate those persons who are considered as evil doers antiHindu dharmadrohi or durjan as they are opposed to their beliefs and customsIt added that through these killings the Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti right wing groups wanted to strike terror in the societyThe probe agency claimed that there were links between the killings of Dabholkar and other activists ndash Gauri Lankesh Govind Pansare and M M KalburgiIt killings was intended to intimidate and coerce individuals or groups who act against or oppose the beliefs and customs of the Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti would be dealt with brutallyrdquo the CBI saidThe agency further claimed that the Sanatan Sanstha had termed Dabholkar and his organization as ldquoantiHindurdquo and had in the past staged protests against himThe agency in its affidavit further said that during the probe the connections of these accused with three other killings ndash Govind Pansare Gauri Lankesh and M M Kalburgi ndash was revealed and that these were not just simple murders but an act of terrorismHence the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act were invoked in these cases it saidThe agency while opposing Tawades bail plea said that releasing him on bail would be a threat to the society as the present case was an ideological murder having national and international ramificationsTawades bail plea was scheduled to be heard on Thursday by a division bench of Justices P B Varale and A S Kilor but due to paucity of time it could not do so It will now be listed for hearing in due courseThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever