Mumbai: After nearly 11 years, a special Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) court in Pune Friday pronounced the verdict in the murder case of rationalist and anti-superstition crusader Dr Narendra Dabholkar, who was shot dead while on a morning walk on Pune’s Omkareshwar Bridge on 20 August, 2013.
Of the five accused, the court handed life sentences to two, Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar, while acquitting three others — Dr Virendrasinh Tawade, Sanjeev Punalekar, and Vikram Bhave — citing insufficient evidence.
The Dabholkar family said that they “welcomed the court’s decision”, but will challenge the acquittal in higher courts.
“We have been following the law and fighting this case for so many years and, in a way, today justice has prevailed. Those who were directly involved in the killing were punished, while the rest have been let free. So we will take this up in the high court as well as the Supreme Court, if need be,” Hamid, Dabholkar’s son, told the media after the judgment.
“By killing a person, one cannot kill the ideology or thought process. Dr Dabholkar’s work continues to be strong. Today’s decision has proven us right,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dabholkar’s daughter Mukta told the media that between 2013 and 2018, the investigation had not progressed, but during the probe of journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder, two assailants — Kalaskar and Andure — were caught, which proved to be a turning point in this case.
That was an important step, she said, which gave hope to all the workers of Dabholkar’s Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), an organisation that works to combat superstitions and black magic practices.
She even thanked the media for relentlessly following the case for 11 years. “So even after 11 years, the feeling that justice can prevail remains alive in our hearts and this is even good for democracy,” she added.
Also Read: Black dolls on trees, ‘goddess footprints’ — Maharashtra anti-superstition law barely used in 10 yrs
Search for mastermind
Despite the court’s ruling, the siblings expressed disappointment over the acquittal of the alleged masterminds behind the murder.
“After Dabholkar’s murder, three other similar murders took place and we believe these accused were somehow involved in those murders as well. So, in other murders, too, such justice will begin, and we will definitely go to higher courts,” Mukta said.
In the past decade, besides Dabholkar, Comrade Govind Pansare, a political leader, was shot on 20 February, 2015; M.M. Kalburgi, a Kannada scholar was shot on 30 August, 2015; and journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was shot on 5 September, 2017.
Mukta said that, though the actual shooters were sentenced, identifying the individuals who influenced them is also important.
“Different agencies like the CBI, SIT, and Maharashtra ATS are investigating the murders of Dabholkar, Gauri Lankesh, and Govind Pansare. These agencies should collectively work to find the mastermind. We believe the mastermind is not yet arrested,” she said.
According to Hamid, the ongoing investigations suggest a broader conspiracy. “Different agencies investigating these cases are saying that this is a larger conspiracy. And the main mastermind is not yet arrested. What happened now is that the mid-level conspirators are being arrested. Until the main mastermind behind these conspiracies is not arrested, intellectuals will remain under threat,” he warned.
Moreover, the Dabholkar family has also called for continued judicial oversight by the high court and the Supreme Court of the case to ensure the mastermind is ultimately identified and arrested.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
Also Read: Dhirendra Shastri, miracle-maker of MP, is only getting bigger after rationalist challenge