The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed an FIR against unknown persons under sections of criminal conspiracy and murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dhabolkar in Pune last year.
“We have registered an FIR in the Dabholkar murder case under section 120b (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) against unknown persons,” a CBI spokesperson said.
The Bombay High Court, last month, had transferred the high-profile case to CBI after Pune police found no headway in the case. Following to which a PIL was filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar seeking a CBI probe into the case.
The Pune Police had arrested two people in the case, but had not filed a chargesheet.
“In fact, the investigation (of Pune Police) has reached a dead end and no further progress at all can be expected,” Bombay High Court order had said.
Dabholkar, an anti-superstition activist and a renowned rationalist, was shot dead by unknown assailants in Pune on August 20, 2013.
The CBI was initially reluctant to take up the case with its counsel contending that no allegations had been levelled against the state or its police of conducting shoddy investigation.
Tirodkar had pleaded that even if no allegations had been made against state authorities, the probe in a criminal case could be transferred to CBI if it has national or international ramifications.
Pune police had earlier submitted case diaries and confidential reports to the court. After going through them, the judges had sought to know the status of the probe, and asked CBI what its stand was.
The government had also informed that so far the main conspirators had not been arrested, and those who were, had got bail.
Dabholkar’s daughter Mukta, who has been allowed to intervene, had said the family wanted the HC to monitor the probe. She had earlier demanded formation of a Special Investigating Team as local police had failed to make any progress.
