Maharashtra to assist CBI in rationalists' murder cases

Mumbai: Bombay high court on Friday directed the state government to effectively assist CBI in all matters to solve the murder cases of Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar.

The court also asked the state to ensure that the trial court’s time was not wasted in small technical procedures like when two accused challenged appointment of a special public prosecutor in the Pansare case pending in a Kolhapur court, saying he was appointed by the superintendent of police while the state had the power to do so. The state assured that it would handle the matter.

The division bench headed by Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari on Friday was informed that SIT would be able to provide an update on the case only after a few days because the team was working on some leads.

Meanwhile, the court was also informed that both accused in the Pansare murder case had challenged appointment of Advocate Shivaji Rane as special public prosecutor, saying that the superintendent of police (SP) had appointed this lawyer while only the state government had power to do so. The accused also alleged that this lawyer was a relative of minister Chandrakant Patil.

During hearing, Justice Dharmadhikari asked the state to ensure that the trial court’s time was not wasted. The bench said that the state should see to it that small technical procedures did not cause delay otherwise the high court would be forced to step in to deal with the issue. Following this, the government pleader assured the court that the state would take steps to ensure that the trial court’s time was not wasted.

The court was hearing petitions filed by families of Dabholkar and murdered activist Pansare seeking high court’s supervision in the probe. While Dabholkar was murdered in Pune on August 20, 2013; Pansare was shot on February 16, 2015, in Kolhapur and died in February.