The Pune crime branch Friday told the Bombay High Court there was no evidence to support allegations that Hindu right-wing extremists were behind the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and hence there was no need to hand over the probe to National Investigation Agency (NIA).

They also said Dabholkar was "never under threat" and therefore "there was no question of monitoring his activities".

A public interest litigation filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar had sought an NIA probe into the killing, alleging that Hindu right-wing activists were involved.

In his reply filed before a bench of Justice P V Hardas and P N Deshmukh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (crime-I), Pune, Rajendra Bhamare, said Dabholkar was not known to be facing any threat, and so there was no question of police preparing any threat perception report (prior to the murder) and monitoring his activities. The contention that it was the handiwork of right-wing extremists was based only on presumptions or petitioner's own imagination, which is not supported by any factual evidence, Bhamare told the court.

The police handed over to the court two reports on investigation conducted so far in sealed covers. However, the judges did not open the covers Friday, saying they would peruse the reports at the next hearing, scheduled after two weeks.

ACP Bhamare also said the offence did not fall in the purview of the NIA Act.

"Our team is not under pressure from any political figure or any activist," his reply stated.

NIA had also taken a similar stand earlier when it told the court it could not probe Dabholkar's murder as the offence fell under the Indian Penal Code, and not under the NIA Act.

Meanwhile, the High Court allowed the withdrawal of a petition filed by Dabholkar seeking to quash a complaint of criminal defamation against him and subsequent summons issued by a Mumbai magistrate.

... contd.

ALSO READ Despite notices to housing societies, BMC yet to provide waste collection vehicles

Please read our terms of use before posting comments