Bombay HC transfers Dabholkar murder case to CBI

Nearly nine months after rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune, the Bombay High Court transferred the murder probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here Friday.

The order by Justice P.V. Hardas came following a public interest litigation filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar who sought a CBI probe after the Pune police failed to make no breakthrough in the investigations.

A medico by profession, Dabholkar was shot dead by some unidentified people in a public park Aug 20, 2013, leading to a widespread furore.

An author, he was the founder-president of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, an organisation set up in 1989 to eradicate superstition.

Following the killing which made national headlines, the Pune police launched a manhunt across Maharashtra and even neigbouring states, but failed to crack the case.

The state government informed the high court that some suspects who were arrested have secured bail while the main conspirators are still at large.

Earlier, Dabholkar's daughter, Mukta Dabholkar demanded a Special Investigation Team be set up to investigate the case as the police had not reported any progress in their probe.