The Bombay High Court has declared that it will no longer monitor the case related to the murder of activist Narendra Dabholkar.
Justices AS Gadkari and PD Naik, comprising a division bench, concluded that no further monitoring was required in the case since the chargesheet had been filed, and the trial had commenced.
“It is thus clear that, the investigation of the present crime has already been completed and the trial of it is steadily progressing. As of 29th March, 2023, prosecution had already examined 18 witnesses. Even as per the submissions of the learned counsel for the Petitioners, the monitoring of the present crime is necessary only for the purpose of tracing out the alleged mastermind behind the aforestated four murders…. this Court is of the view that, further monitoring on the investigation of the present crime is not necessary,” the order said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation into the murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar in 2014 and filed charges against five murder suspects. The trial began in September 2021, after all five defendants were charged.
Dabholkar’s daughter and son petitioned the Bombay High Court for the appointment of an independent Special Investigation Team and court oversight of the investigation. Since August 2015, the investigation has been monitored by the High Court.
In December 2022, the chief defendant, Virendrasinh Tawade, filed an application to end the monitoring of the case, stating that it was no longer required since the murder trial had begun. Another defendant subsequently petitioned the court to terminate the monitoring. In response, the
CBI informed the court that the investigation had been concluded, and the trial could be concluded in two months. After reviewing the situation, the Court concluded that further monitoring was no longer necessary.
