Report of engaging tantrik with Dabholkar's soul nonsense: Pol

Former Pune police chief Gulabrao Pol today described as "utter nonsense" a media report, claiming that out of desperation to crack the murder case of anti-superstition crusader Narendra Dabholokar, he involved a tantrik to "communicate" with the slain rationalist's "soul".
"It is a big nonsense and a false and concocted story," Pol, who was the city police commissioner when Dabholkar was murdered in broad daylight on August 20 last year, told PTI.
A print media report has alleged that Pol had engaged a retired police constable, considered an expert tantrik, to invoke Dabholkar's soul and asked him questions to find clues to the murder mystery that rocked the state and country.

Pol, who opted for voluntary retirement from service a few months back, said he had clearly denied any such happenings during the course of investigation when contacted by the journalist who wrote the story.
"I told him this is a nonsense and warned him against writing it," he added.
Pol said the police teams which he had set up to probe the murder worked day and night to apprehend the unknown assailants "but it was our bad luck that we could not track them."

An agitated Pol, who drew flak for an unsuccessful investigation, said " Dabholkar was my friend. What is being suggested is unthinkable."

The former police commissioner said, "I am consulting my lawyers to issue a legal notice to the concerned person who has made the mischievous allegation against me."
Dabholkar's son Hamid said if such a thing had really happened it was "condemnable" and "painful" as his father fought superstitions all his life.
After failure of Pune police, the case was recently transferred to CBI following a High Court directive.
Dabholkar, who was honoured posthumously with a Padmashree, was gunned down by unknown assailants when he had gone out for a routine morning walk along a city bridge.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the government would initiate action against the concerned officials "if there is any evidence" to prove the allegation.