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Updated: Jun 11, 2016 21:13 IST

The arrest of Sanatan Sanstha’s Virendra Tawade in Narendra Dabholkar murder case is an attempt to malign its name, the Hindu right-wing organisation said in Mumbai on Saturday.

“They previously arrested Sadhvi (Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur) in the Malegoan blast case. She was acquitted after four years as there was no evidence. Similarly they had arrested six Sanatan members in Margao blast case and released them after five years,” said Abhay Vartak, Sanatan spokesperson.

“Now, Dr Virendra Tawde has been arrested in Dabholkar case. In this way attempts are being made to malign the Hindu outfits,” he said.

“There is an international conspiracy to destroy the Hindu organisations,” he added.

“When Congress was in power we experienced repression and conspiracy. Even after the change of government, we are going through the same thing,” he said.

Actions of the BJP-led Maharashtra Government were anti-Hindu, he said.

Read | Arrest in Dabholkar case may provide political mileage for BJP

Tawade, a member of Sanatan Sanstha, is accused of conspiring in the murder of rationalist and anti-superstition crusader Dabholkar. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested Tawade from his residence at Panvel .

About Tawde’s association with the Sanstha, Vartak said, “He is an ENT surgeon and used to come to our ashram for treating the sadhaks (disciples). He was a Sanstha member, but was not holding any post.”