The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Joint Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who is supervising the Sheena Bora murder probe, to file a progress report on the investigation into the >killing of Narendra Dabholkar in Pune in 2013.
Advocate Abhay Nevgi, appearing for Mr Dabholkar’s family, said, “In the Sheena Bora murder case, the CBI has filed a 1,000-page charge sheet in 60 days, but in Mr Dabholkar’s case it is either lethargic or is under political pressure.”
A division bench comprising Justices Ranjit More and VL Achliya was hearing petitions filed by family members of Mr Dabholkar and social activist Govind Pansare seeking investigations into their murder.
The Special Investigating Team of the State Criminal Investigation Department submitted a report that highlights steps taken to arrest suspects in the murder of Mr Pansare, who was killed in Kolhapur in February this year. It was brought to the notice of the court that statements of three witnesses have been recorded, the probe is under way and they have 15 days to file the charge sheet.
Mr Nevgi pleaded the court to constitute a SIT to monitor and conduct investigations into the killing of Mr Dabholkar.
The CBI also submitted a report in a sealed envelope. Rebecca Gonsalves, representing the investigating agency, said statements of 91 witnesses have been recorded in four weeks and sought more time to conduct the investigation.
Ms Gonsalves added that a CBI team has visited the ashram of the Sanatan Sanstha in Goa and recorded the statement of its spokesperson.
The court directed the CBI Joint Director to submit a progress report on January 7.
