In an affidavit filed in Bombay high court, the Pune police on Friday said that Dr Narendra Dabholkar, who was shot dead by unidentified persons in August, did not have any threat perception before the attack and, so his movements were not monitored.

Filed by assistant commissioner of police Rajendra Murlidhar Bhamare, the affidavit says factual evidence collected by the probe agency doesn’t support the role of right wing extremist/s, as claimed by the petitioner.

The affidavit was filed in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar, seeking application of stringent laws under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and transfer of the probe to the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

The affidavit also states: “There is no evidence that the offence comes within the purview of schedule to the NIA Act. Thus, the case should not be transferred to NIA.” The officer said that the team probing the crime is doing so without bias or interference from any political parties or spiritual leader or any other organisation.

Dabholkar, a rationalist, was shot dead in Pune on August 20 by unidentified people. The police registered a murder case against unidentified persons but there has been no headway in the probe.

Tirodkar, in his PIL, has said that Dabholkar was receiving threats for some time and the state was aware of this. The police could have prepared a threat-perception report on their own and the state need not have waited for the person’s approval to provide him/her security, the PIL said.

It also said that the Pune police have come across information about possible involvement of astrology practitioners against whom Dabholkar was about to start an agitation. It is suspected that these people were in touch with Hindu right wing extremists, who blamed Dabholkar for hurting religious sentiments, the petition added.