Nearly 11 years after rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead, a Pune court sentenced 2 assailants to life imprisonment Friday; 3 others were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
From Pune Police, case was transferred to CID & subsequently to Maharashtra ATS, Special Investigation Team & CBI. Two bike-borne assailants had shot Dabholkar in 2013.
11 yrs after murder, Pune court hands life sentences to 2 accused, acquits 3 others. Family says they 'welcome' court’s decision & justice has prevailed, but will challenge acquittals.
Anti-superstition activists attribute this to frequent changing of govts, and lack of will on part of every administration. Very few cases lodged, conviction rate also dismal, they add.
Forced to run from Maharashtra by rationalists' open challenge to prove his 'chamatakar', 'godman' Dhirendra Shastri is back among his believers in Bageshwar Dham. Bail to cancer cure, devotees are flocking him for everything.
The doctor-rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was gunned down on 20 August, 2013. While CBI has arrested members of the radical Sanatan Sanstha, it is yet to complete the probe.
ATS has found a list of persons that the accused planned to target. They were also allegedly involved in blasts outside movie theatres at Kalyan and Belgaum.
In tactical terms, the shirtless protest was worse than a self-goal. Suddenly, the fiascos of the AI Summit were forgotten, and the Youth Congress’s disruption became the issue.
IAF is fine with accepting the aircraft with 'must-haves', even if some other steps remain pending, which may take at least another year, it is learnt.
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