Virendra Tawade’s inmates shifted after he seeks lone cell, fearing for life

Dr Virendra Tawade, under the scanner of two probe agencies for his alleged role in the August 2013 murder of Pune-based rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and the February 2015 murder of Communist leader Govind Pansare, is now the only prisoner in the custody of Rajarampuri police.

Fearing for his life, Tawade had earlier requested the Kolhapur police for a separate lock-up, asking it not to detain him in a common detention facility.

Taking cognizance of his complaint, the Kohlapur police later on Sunday took all remaining detainees to the Lakshmipuri police station. Tawade had said he feared for his life from fellow detainees at the common detention facility and so wanted a separate lock-up, as he would be in police custody till September 16. His lock-up had around nine other detainees.

Currently, Tawade is in the custody of Rajarampuri police, Kolhapur, which has jurisdiction of the area where Pansare was murdered. Samir Patwardhan, Tawde’s lawyer, who had visited him on Saturday, said his client had expressed apprehensions regarding his safety in the lock-up where he was being detained currently.

“He feels he can be attacked by fellow prisoners. That is why I have given a complaint to API Sunil Patil stating that Tawde be given a separate lock-up room. Even Samir Gaikwad, the first accused in the Pansare murder, has been given a separate cell,” Mr Patwardhan said.

Mr Patwardhan also pointed it out the police that Tawade had mentioned that his current cell and its toilet lacked cleanliness.

Meanwhile, Gaikwad, the first accused in the case has demanded he be freed, as he had been in custody for more than a year now.