CBI finds new leads, to reopen RTI activist murder probe

Shetty was stabbed to death on January 13, 2010 at Talegaon Dabhade in Pune when he was taking a morning walk. He was Pune district co-ordinator of an organisation – the Bhrastachar Virodhi Dakshata Samiti — and was known for anti-corruption activities.

Months before his murder, Shetty had exposed an alleged land scam by IRB infrastructure and Sabale Waghire Group in Kamshet area, following which Lonavala city police lodged an offence against IRB chairman and managing director Virendra Mhaiskar and 12 others, including government officials on October 15, 2009. On November 24, 2009, Shetty had filed an application with the rural police seeking protection as he was getting threats, Shetty’s brother Sandip said.

The CBI in January this year had carried out searches at 21 locations, including the offices and residence of Deepak Dattatrey Gadgil, who is the authorised signatory for Aryan Infrastructure (a subsidiary of IRB infrastructure), and Mahaiskar. The premises of other 15 individuals were reportedly also searched.

Pune rural police had arrested six persons in the murder case, including advocate Vijay Dabhade from Talegaon, his clerk Pramod Waghmode, Navnath Shelar of Bhosari, Parshuram Telgu alias Jakkal, Dongrya Hanumant Rathod and Shyam Dabhade. Telgu was discharged and a chargesheet was filed against the remaining five. All were later released on bail.

The arrests were made following a statement by history-sheeter Santosh Shinde, who allegedly confessed to have accepted Rs 1 lakh from Dabhade for killing Shetty, but later refused to murder him knowing that Shetty was working for the common man.  The police had pointed out details of past disputes between Shetty and Dabhade, but the disputes were later settled.

The probe was taken over by the CBI, Pune, to find whether IRB was involved in the murder and the investigation by rural police was to cover up facts. IRB scrapped its township project on this disputed land in Kamshet area in 2012.