Dabholkar Murder Case: CBI Claims Accused Sharad Kalaskar Confessed to Crime

The CBI Tuesday cited a "Forensic Psychological Analysis Statement" of accused Sharad Kalaskar and told a court that he had admitted during the test that he and Sachin Andure killed rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

The prosecution cited the report while opposing the bail of lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar, and said that it was already part of the charge sheet against Kalaskar. The argument on the bail plea of Punalekar is being heard before Additional Sessions Judge (special judge) R M Pande. The CBI has claimed that Kalaskar and Andure shot dead Dabholkar while he was on a morning walk on the Onkareshwar Bridge in Pune on August 20, 2013.

Special Public Prosecutor Prakash Suryawanshi told the court Tuesday that the test on Kalaskar was conducted last year. During the test, Kalaskar told psychological experts that he, along with Andure, had killed Dabholkar, the SPP said.

Citing the same report, he said Kalaskar also admitted before the experts that he met Punalekar in June 2018 and that Punalekar instructed him to destroy the firearms used in the murder. The CBI has said Punalekar, if given bail, will tamper with evidence. Punalekar and his assistant Vikram Bhave were arrested last month.

Punalekar is accused of advising Kalaskar to destroy the firearms used in the Dabholkar as well as the Gauri Lankesh murder case. Bhave is accused of conducting reconnaissance along with the two shooters and helping them escape after killing Dabholkar.

READ: Dabholkar Case: CBI Again Seeks Sanjeev Punalekar's Custody To Quiz Him

Earlier, CBI had sought custody of advocate Sanjeev Punalekar in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar's killing case, saying that he needs to be questioned in connection with some material retrieved from gadgets seized during the probe in the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made the plea before the court of additional sessions judge (special judge) R M Pande here through its special public prosecutor Prakash Suryawanshi.