After his killing, 3 similar murders took place: Dabholkar's daughter

Mukta Dabholkar, daughter of slain Maharashtra rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, on Sunday claimed that the killings of her father, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh had a common link and that they all were killed due to ideological differences.

Speaking to ANI, Mukta said, "It is an important development that a person has been arrested after the completion of five years in the case. But I think that what has happened during the investigation is not sufficient. After Dr Dabholkar's murder, three more murders took place in a similar way."

"Comrade Pansare (Govind Pansare), Professor Kalburgi (MM Kalburgi) and Gauri Lankesh were shot dead, the forensic reports and the investigating agencies say that all these four killings have a common link. It is a bigger plot and it had some reason behind it. They were killed due to ideological differences," she added.

Mukta said that if the murderer of her father had been arrested earlier, precious lives of Pansare, Kalburagi and Lankesh could have been saved.

"If the investigating agencies reach the mastermind, then only we will be able to say that justice is being delivered. Definitely five years time is a delay because if it would have been done earlier there was a possibility that 3 precious lives could have been saved," she said.

"Five years is a big period, the murderers are going scot-free. It increases their will to do much more things, if they roam around freely in the society. Justice and investigation in a short period of time are essential," Mukta added.

Meanwhile, Sachin Prakasrao Andure, who is believed to be one of the shooters who shot dead the MANS founder in Pune, has been sent to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody till August 26. He was earlier arrested by the central probe agency from Maharashtra's Aurangabad.

Earlier, the son of Narendra Dabholkar had hoped that the real perpetrators behind the murder of his father are nabbed soon.

Dabholkar was murdered by unknown bike-borne assailants from point-blank range on August 20, 2013, in Pune, while he was returning home from a morning walk.

The Bombay High Court on August 2 had pulled up Maharashtra's Special Investigation Agency (SIT) and CBI probing the case.

The court cracked a whip on the investigative agencies directing them to adopt the same degree of seriousness and promptness like Karnataka Police which is probing the Gauri Lankesh murder case.

Following a demand by members of Dabholkar's family, the case was handed over to the CBI for investigation.

The Karnataka police while probing the killing of Lankesh found out that her murder suspects had links with the conspirators in the murders of Dabholkar, Kalburgi and Pansare.