Judicial custody for Punalekar & Bhave

Pune: Following no further progress in the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the murder case of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, Additional Sessions Judge RM Pande on Tuesday sent the two accused  Advocate Sanjeev Punalekar, counsel for fringe right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha; and his aide, Vikram Bhave to judicial custody.
 
Punalekar and Bhave were produced before the court on Tuesday on expiry of their CBI custody. The CBI was seeking an extension in custody of the accused, which was rejected. The duo were arrested for alleged involvement in conspiring in the murder of Dr Dabholkar and also for destruction of evidence and aiding and abetting Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar.

Special Public Prosecutor Prakash Suryavanshi argued for a 14-day custodial extension, saying the CBI needed time to analyse the data retrieved from Punalekar’s laptop and mobile phone seized during his arrest. This request was not entertained by Judge Pande as there was no fresh progress in the investigation. Arguing against the CBI’s plea, defence counsel Virendra Ichalkaranjikar and Advocate Sameer Patwardhan submitted to the court that the reasons submitted by Suryavanshi requesting extension in custody of the duo arrested accused were not sufficient. “CBI had sought the custody of Punalekar and Bhave claiming they have to seize the two-wheeler used in the crime, but they are yet to do so,” said Ichalkaranjikar.

The hearing on bail application of Punalekar and Bhave is scheduled on June 7.