Even the legislation against superstitious practices, which the rationalist advocated, has seen no progress

Exactly a year has passed since scholar and rationalist M.M. Kalburgi was killed by an unidentified assailant, but neither the probe into the case nor the legislation against superstitious practices, which he advocated, have made much headway.

On August 30, 2015 a man pumped three bullets into the scholar at his residence in Dharwad.

The murder sent shockwaves across the literary establishment and triggered a campaign that saw writers return their State-endowed honours. The writers demanded a speedy trial, protection of freedom of expression, and passing of an anti-superstitious practices legislation — all of which seem unfulfilled.

Common link

Probing agencies suspect that Goa-based Hindutva group Sanatan Sanstha carried out the assassinations of three rationalists — Narendra Dabholkar (August 2013, Pune), Govind Pansare (February 2015, Kolhapur), and M.M. Kalburgi.

It was the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths probing the Kalburgi case, who gave the technical lead linking the murders. Ballistic reports by Forensic Science Laboratories, Bengaluru, showed that 7.65 mm country-made pistols were used in all three assassinations. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing Dabholkar’s murder, is waiting reconfirmation of this from tests conducted by Scotland Yard, London.

First breakthrough

The first breakthrough came when the Special Investigation Team of the Maharashtra police probing Pansare’s murder arrested Sameer Gaekwad, a Sanatan member. He has now been chargesheeted, while SIT is on the lookout for others involved.

Meanwhile, the CBI probing Dabholkar’s murder has arrested Veerendra Tawade, an ENT specialist and member of Sanatan Sanstha, who is accused of arranging weapons and logistics.

The CID in Karnataka is still waiting to interrogate Tawade in the Kalburgi murder case. It is now confirmed that neither Tawade nor Gaekwad pulled the trigger. Both are believed to be conspirators.

Sleuths have identified two other Sanatan members — Vinay Pawar and Sarang Akolkar — suspected to have carried out the attacks and are since absconding. Sources claimed that the two are Sanatan ‘sadhaks’ trained in armed combat.

The CID sleuths are also on the hunt for Rudra Patil, another sadhak and accused in the 2010 Goa blasts, whose presence at Kalburgi’s house was seemingly shown through a sketch by witnesses. “They could have fled the country as we have observed Sanatan Sanstha has branches in countries that Indian citizens can get visa on arrival,” said a senior official.

Much deferred Bill

Meanwhile, the proposed Bill on superstitious practices — now named Eradication of Human Sacrifices and other Inhuman Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2016 — has been referred to a sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa after being deferred numerous times.