There may have been more than two killers involved in the murder of veteran Communist leader and rationalist Govind Pansare, according to the supplementary charge sheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.
The information came to light on Thursday during a hearing on the bail application of the prime accused, Sanatan Sanstha activist Sameer Gaikwad, at the Kolhapur district and sessions court.
“The charge sheet filed by the SIT quotes an eyewitness as saying two motorcycles were used in the murder, indicating were more than two people may have been involved,” Special Public Prosecutor Harshad Nimbalkar told The Hindu.
Bail rejected
Arguing against granting bail to Gaikwad, Mr. Nimbalkar said that there was direct evidence of an eyewitness and corroborative circumstantial evidence to link the Sanatan activist to the murder. “Besides, the extra-judicial confessions given by Sameer Gaikwad of his direct involvement in the murder are enough for the court to deny him bail.” Mr. Nimbalkar said there was also the possibility that Gaikwad would flee if granted bail.
His bail pleas had already been rejected thrice in the past.
Further hearing on his bail plea will continue on June 17.
The veteran Communist leader and his wife Uma were shot outside their home in Kolhapur’s Sagar Mal locality on February 16, 2015. Pansare succumbed to his wounds four days later.
Mr. Patwardhan told the court that the SIT’s first charge sheet held Sameer Gaikwad responsible, while the supplementary charge sheet filed after the arrest of Virendra Tawade named the fringe right wing activist as the mastermind.
‘Failed to give evidence’
Mr. Patwardhan argued that the probe agencies had failed to provide evidence of Gaikwad’s involvement in the murder.
Tawade was first arrested for his alleged complicity in the 2013 murder in Pune of noted rationalist-thinker Narendra Dabholkar and was later grilled by the Kolhapur police for his involvement in Pansare’s murder.
Gaikwad’s arrest, after he was picked up from Sangli in September 2015, was the first in the Pansare case.