The CBI, investigating the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, on Wednesday gave the Bombay High Court names of two suspects from the Goa-based organisation Sanatan Sanstha in a sealed cover.
The agency also stated that they had not found the involvement of Rudra Patil, an absconding accused in the 2009 Goa blast case, in the Dabholkar case.
“These two names [given to the court] are as per our investigation. They are all members of the same organisation,” Rebecca Gonsalves informed a Division Bench of Justices RV More and RG Ketkar.
Under surveillance The agency said the duo, whose identity was kept confidential, has been put under surveillance. However their names were not included in their status report submitted on Wednesday. Rapped by the court, the CBI apologised for not filing a detailed report.
In their report, the agency mentioned two mobile numbers, which were located at the spot of the murder.
Early this month, the court had asked the investigating agencies CBI and SIT respectively probing the Dabholkar and Govind Pansare murders about the steps taken to trace Patil.
Abhay Nevagi, appearing for the petitioning families of the rationalists, said despite the availability of mobile numbers the agencies were not able to trace anyone.
The court remarked that the progress of the probe conducted by the SIT, comprising local police and State CID, in the February 2015 Pansare case was more satisfactory than the progress by the CBI in the August 2013 Dabholkar case.
CBI rapped “The CBI is lagging behind. It is not expected of you,” the Bench told CBI.
The agency said it faced a shortage of manpower – only 11 investigating officers for the Western Region from Rajasthan to parts of south India.
The SIT assured it would file a charge sheet in the Pansare case within the stipulated 90-day period against arrested accused Sameer Gaikwad.
The court directed the agencies to file fresh status reports by November 30.
