Narendra Dabholkar Murder Case: Pune Court Sentences Life Imprisonment to Two, Three Accused Acquitted

Pune: The verdict on the murder of Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti President Narendra was delivered by a special court moments ago.  The matter was earlier heard in the district and sessions court. While Virendra Tawde was acquitted as per the verdict, Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar have been sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Tawde, Vikram Bhave, and Sanjeev Punalekar were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

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Dr. Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2013, when he was on a morning walk in Pune's Omkareshwar bridge. The incident shook the entire state. Eight years after Dabholkar's murder, the murder trial began. After the murder investigation was completed, a special court in Pune framed charges against the five accused and the trial began. The case had been going on for nearly two-and-a-half years.

Narendra Dabholkar was murdered on the Maharishi Vitthal Ramji Shinde bridge. Initially, the Pune Police were investigating the murder. The case was later handed over to the CBI on the orders of the High Court. On September 15, 2021, five accused Virendrasinh Tawde, Sachin Andure, Sharad Kalaskar, Sanjeev Punalekar, and Vikram Bhave. Tawde, Andure, Kalaskar, and Bhave were booked under sections 302 (murder), 120(b) (conspiracy to commit offense), 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and under relevant sections of the Arms Act and the UAPA. Two of the accused, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, are currently on bail.

Initially, the case was heard by District Judge S.R. Nawandar. Ater his transfer, the case was being heard by PP Jadahv. CBI counsel Prakash Suryawanshi examined 20 witnesses in the case. Defense lawyers Prakash Salsingikar, Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, and Suvarna Awhad participated in the proceedings. They produced two witnesses in court.