The Dabholkar Murder Mystery

Is a breakthrough in the rationalist’s assassination case imminent or is it all hogwash?

After three months of inactivity since the killing of Pune-based rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, there has suddenly been a flurry of activity. First, the police filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court claiming evidence did not support the involvement of any right-wing extremist group, and that there had been no threat to Dabholkar’s life. Two days later, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told newspersons that the police had leads and that a breakthrough in the case was imminent. Around the same time, news emerged that four alleged arms dealers arrested in Thane may have been involved. But it appears now that a breakthrough is distant.

Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune, admits there is so far no proof to link the alleged arms dealers—Manish Ramvilas Nagori, Rahul Mali, Ramavatar Khandelwal and Santosh Bagde—to the killing. But a news leak by a police source said ballistic reports on one of the firearms seized from the group showed it may have been used to kill Dabholkar. Deepak Girme, a member of the Dabholkar-founded Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), says the police often ‘leak’ such news when under pressure. “It is likely that their involvement with the case is being mentioned simply to show Shinde they are doing something.” About a month ago, he says, the police claimed they might have arrested the rationalist’s killers in Goa. “Four individuals, Dilip, Binasha, Gagansingh Vishwakarma, and Narayan Janala, were arrested with arms in Goa. They were from Pune and had a pistol similar to the one used to kill Dabholkar. The police claimed they might be involved… Now, there is no mention of them,” he says.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Pune, Rajendra Bhamare, who filed the affidavit saying there was no evidence of the involvement of an extremist right-wing group, refused to comment. But Girme of MANS claims to have met him: “He told us they were not ruling out anyone. ‘All angles are being probed,’ he said.”

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