Dabholkar murder: Son Hameed says chargesheet is positive step

Pune, Sep 7 (PTI) Welcoming CBI’s move to chargeHindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendrasing Tawde in themurder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, his son HameedDabholkar today said it is a positive step and demanded theothers wanted in the case be arrested soon. "It is a positive step. However, Sarang Akolkarand Vinay Pawar are still absconding and CBI should arrestthem as early as possible," he said. Pointing out that CBI has still not been able to trace thebike and pistol used in the murder of Dabholkar, Hameed saidthe probing agency should recover these objects. "Since both Akolkar and Pawar, who are Sanatan Sansthamembers, are at large, they are posing as a danger to thesociety and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and CBIshould now intensify their search and arrest them," he said. Hameed also said if Sanatan Sanstha feels the abscondingsuspects (Akolkar and Pawar) are innocent, it should ask themto surrender in court and prove their innocence. CBI has charged Virendrasing Tawde with criminalconspiracy and murder in connection with the murder ofDabholkar in 2013. The Samiti is allegedly linked with Sanatan Sanstha,which had come under the scanner for the murder of anotherrationalist Govind Pansare in February 2015. CBI sources said the charge sheet was filed againstTawde under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) among other charges. The Bombay High Court in May 2014 had handed over thematter to CBI to probe the murder of Dabholkar. On August 20, 2013, the anti-superstition activist wasshot dead by two unidentified men while he was on a morningwalk on Omkareshwar Bridge here. The agency had arrested Tawde in June this year. Sarang Akolkar, an alleged follower of SanatanSanstha, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued byInterpol in July 2012 in connection with the 2009 Goa blastcase on NIA request, is also under the scanner of the agency.PTI SPK GKASV