SIT chargesheet: ‘Tawde began monitoring two rationalists after Sanstha leader sent him email in 2007’

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Samant’s statement was also recorded by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Dabholkar murder case. Both agencies have treated Samant as a witness. “It was only after Samant asked Tawde to concentrate on the rationalists that Tawde started working on it. He subsequently also got Akolkar, Gaikwad and Pawar involved in the plan and assigned them various responsibilities,” a senior official privy to the investigation of the case told The Indian Express. “While Akolkar and Pawar are the alleged assailants in the Dabholkar murder case, we suspect Akolkar and Gaikwad shot Pansare. However, there are witnesses who spotted Pawar a day prior and a few hours before the murder,” added the official. Gaikwad is suspected to be an assailant based on the testimony given by a 14-year old boy who has identified Gaikwad as having been near the murder spot on February 16, 2015, when Pansare was killed.

On February 16, 2015, two motorcycle-borne persons had shot Pansare and his wife Uma Pansare when the couple was returning home after having breakfast. A bullet hit Uma’s head, causing a fracture in her skull. She survived the attack but suffered paralysis. Pansare was shot with a 7.65 mm firearm. The chargesheet indicates that Sanatan Sanstha members Sameer Gaikwad and Sarang Akolkar were the alleged shooters in the case. Gaikwad has already been chargesheeted last year. It also mentions that wanted accused Vinay Pawar was present at the murder spot both a day prior and few hours before the murder.

The chargesheet ascribes ideological difference as the motive for the murder. “After Dr Narendra Dabholkar’s murder Pansare carried forward his ideology and in 2014 at a book launch function even announced to expose Sanatan Sanstha by organising events at 140 places. This event was the final straw in the decision by Tawde to kill ‘durjaan’ (villain) Pansare,” the chargesheet reads.