The CBI on Wednesday searched the houses of an alleged ‘Sanatan Sanstha’ member Sarang Akolkar in Panvel and Pune (both in Maharashtra) in connection with the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.
Akolkar, 34, is alleged to be one of the key conspirators in the murder of Dabholkar on August 20, 2013 in Pune.
Akolkar is believed to be linked to ‘Sanatan Sanstha’, a Hindu right wing organisation whose headquarters are located in Ponda, Goa. He has been on the run ever since his name cropped up during NIA investigations in the Goa blast case. NIA had secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him in 2012 but security agencies are yet to track him down.
Besides Akolkar’s house in Pune, searches were on at the premises of Virendra Singh Tawde in Panvel near Mumbai in connection with the Dabholkar murder case, agency sources said.
The CBI had registered a case on May 9, 2014 following a directive from the Bombay High Court and took up the investigation of the case which was initially registered at Deccan Police Station, Pune in connection with the killing of Dr. Narendra Dabholkar.
At about 7.20 am on the fateful day, two un-identified persons aged about 25 to 30 years, of medium height had fired bullets and killed Dabholkar, while he was on footpath of Omkareshwar Bridge behind Balgandharv Rangmandir, Pune. The assassins fled on a motorcycle.
“Certain documents and mobile numbers, e-mails etc. recovered during searches, are being scrutinised,” a CBI spokesperson said.