CBI announces Rs 5 lakh for info on accused

Mumbai: Almost three and half years after rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in broad daylight in Pune in August 2013, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) declared a reward of Rs 5 lakh each on the two absconding accused. The duo - Sarang Akolkar, 35 and Vinay Pawar, 37 had gunned down Dabholkar while he was returning from a morning walk, near the Omkareshwar Temple bridge in Pune.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) officers questioned right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha’s head and hypnotherapist Dr Jayant Athavale on Wednesday at its Goa ashram in connection with the probe into the February 2015 murder of communist leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur. Athavale was quizzed about the whereabouts of Akolkar and Pawar, who are wanted in the Pansare case as well, said the sources familiar with the investigation.

Akolkar and Pawar were allegedly associated with the Sanatan Sanstha before they went missing after 2009. The Sanstha has denied having any link to the Pansare or Dabholkar murder case. According to sources, Athavale was quizzed on Tuesday and Wednesday for several hours. The CBI had also quizzed Dr Athavale in February 2016 in connection with Dabholkar murder probe.

The CBI had arrested Sanatan Sanstha activist Dr Virendra Tawde and a chargesheet was filed against him in September last year.

Akolkar and Pawar were named as suspects in the chargesheet and the investigators had found that the duo had links with Sanatan Sanstha. When contacted by The Asian Age, Sanstha's spokesperson Abhay Vartak said, “SIT team had visited Sanstha's Goa ashram and also spoke to the trustee. The Sanstha has always cooperated with the SIT's probe. As it is a judicial matter, we are unable to provide any more
details.”