About a year after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe into the murder of anti-superstition activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, the agency has released two sketches of the suspects based on the description by eyewitnesses. Family members of the slain activist have questioned slow probe by the CBI in the case. Dabholkar was shot dead by two unidentified persons around 7.10 am on August 20, 2013, on the bridge near Omkareshwar temple in Pune. In January 2014, the Pune police arrested two arms dealers Manish Nagori alias Manya (24) and Vilas Khandelwal (22) based on ballistics reports and said the two had supplied the weapon used in the crime. [related-post] Several doubts were raised even by many police officers about the arrests. The case was handed over to the CBI by the Bombay High Court after the state police failed to crack it. Hameed Dabholkar, the slain rationalist’s son, said, “CBI took over the year case a year ago. The release of the sketch this late shows apathy of the agency and also lack of manpower in the probe. The CBI has not yet visited Dr Dabholkar's native place, nor has the team spent enough time in Pune. We have given then some inputs about our suspicions but we think the CBI has not conducted inquiry into those inputs.” CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad confirmed that the agency had released two sketches of the suspects. A press release from the CBI said, “During the course of investigation, the sketches of two assailants have been prepared and sent to all police stations of Maharashtra state by CBI, seeking information in Dabholkar murder case. Any information may be addressed to the superintendent of police or deputy superintendent of police D S Chauhan of the Special Crime Branch, Mumbai, on phone numbers 022-27576804, 27576820.”
