In proposal to Centre, Maharashtra govt had recommended ban on Sanatan Sanstha: Minister to House

Chavan argued that there was no progress in the murder investigations and some of the suspects were not arrested even after four years. Rejecting her arguments, Kesarkar said, “While Dabholkar’s case has been investigated by the CBI, in Pansare’s case, an FIR was registered at Rajarampuri police station in Kolhapur and two persons, namely Samir Gaikwad and Virendra Tawde, had been arrested in the case. The police have even filed a chargesheet against the duo.” He said the government could issue a notice to attach properties of the absconding accused to force them to surrender. To this, Chavan argued that Sanstha advocate Sanjeev Punalekar had issued veiled threats to witnesses.

Kesarkar assured the House that the government would provide protection to anyone getting such threats. He added: “The government will have to check whether action can be taken against the Sanatan Sanstha advocate. However, we will take steps to stop use of illegal fire arms across the state.”

A request to the Centre to include Sanatan Sanstha as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA was made by the Maharashtra ATS too in 2012. In an affidavit, the state had then referred to three cases against Sanstha members regarding bomb blasts to justify seeking a ban on it.

However, during the hearing of a PIL in February 2017, the Central government had told the Bombay High Court that the evidence and other material sent by the state government were not conclusive and that it could hence not declare the organisation a terror outfit.