Twists and turns in Dabholkar murder case

It's been five years to rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder in Pune and investigations into the case has gone through several twists and turns.

After his killing on August 20, 2013, the Deccan police station registered a case. Thereafter, the elite Mumbai Crime Branch-CID and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police helped in the investigations.

Five months after the killing, two suspected arms dealers - Manish Nagori alias Manya and his associate Vikas Khandelwal, both from Ichalkaranji, who were in magisterial custody since August 2013, were arrested for the murder of Dr Dabholkar. The two suspects later accused Maharashtra ATS of offering Rs 25 lakh to them to own up the murder. In April, 2014, they were set out on bail as Pune Police and ATS failed to file chargesheet.

After the murder of Communist leader Govind Pansare, Sanatan Sanstha activist Sameer Gaikwad was arrested by Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Meanwhile, in October 2015, CBI told the Bombay High Court that two Sanatan Sanstha activists were on the radar in Dabholkar murder case

In June, 2016, CBI raided two places in Pune and Navi Mumbai in connection with the murder of Dr Dabholkar CBI and arrested ENT surgeon Dr Virendrasinh Tawde, a Sanatan activist. Two more Sanatan Sanstha members - Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar were named but so far no arrests were made.

Now with the arrest of three suspected Right-wing activists by the Maharashtra ATS, the case has got a new direction leading to the arrest of Sachin Andhure, whom the CBI identified as one of the shooters in the killing.

While Raut and Kalaskar were arrested from Nalasopara in Palghar district, Ghondhalekar was arrested from Pune.