New Delhi: Family members of slain activist Govind Pansare, in a letter to Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), alleged that Sanatan Sanstha was systematically killing intellectuals in Maharashtra and Karnataka and demanded an investigation into the Hindutva outfit’s activities.
The 68-page letter was submitted to Jayant Meena, Superintendent of Police, ATS, Pune division ahead of a Bombay high court hearing, the Deccan Herald reported.
The letter has come after the Bombay high court, which is monitoring the probe, directed the ATS to examine additional material submitted by Pansare’s family to help ascertain the the motive of the crime.
A Communist Party of India (CPI) leader, Pansare was a rationalist, trade unionist and social activist. He and his wife, Uma, were attacked by two individuals on a motor-cycle in February 15, 2015 in Kolhapur. He died on February 20, at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital .
Pansare’s family reiterated their demand to examine the role of Sanatan Sanstha founder Dr Jayant Athavale in the killing.
“Comrade Pansare was bitterly opposed by right-wing Hindutva organisations such as Sanatan Sanstha, Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, etc, for his ideologies of secularism, rationality, equality, and lifelong work of uplifting the marginalised and authoring books like Shivaji Kon Hota?,” the letter stated.
While drawing similarities in the murders of Pansare, Dr Narendra Dabholkar, professor M.M. Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh, the letter said that ‘necessary steps’ must be taken against Athavale, Sanatan Sanstha leader Virendra Marathe and others for their alleged role in the Pansare murder case.
“We would like to draw your attention to the five chargesheets filed in the case of Comrade Pansare. Twelve persons have been arrayed as accused. Two of the 12 accused have been declared absconding. All the accused are members of Sanatan Sanstha and/or Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and some of the accused are also named in the murder cases of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, Prof M M Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh and Nalasopara weapons seizure case, and other related cases, which proves that there exists a common link,” the letter points out.
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‘Organised terrorist network of criminals’
ATS, CBI and the police from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa are aware of the Hindutva outfit’s role in the four murders and other crimes, Pansare’s family said.
“However, for reasons best known to the investigating agencies, this angle has not been examined,” they said, adding that it is necessary to examine the role of Sanatan Sanstha, and the people governing it, as an “organised terrorist network of criminals acting under the guidance and directions” of Athavale and Marathe.
The letter pointed to the Nalasopara explosives seizure case where large numbers of pistols and explosives were seized by Maharashtra ATS in 2018. Twelve individuals, members of Sanatan Sanstha and/or Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, were named in the chargesheet filed in the case.
“On bare perusal of the chargesheet filed by ATS in the Nalasopara case, it has been categorically recorded that the objective of Sanatan Sanstha and its members is to terrorize the society at large and carry out terrorist activities, motivated by Kshatradharma Sadhna,” the letter claims.
“….facts and circumstances produced state that there exists a larger conspiracy and involvement of masterminds beyond the arrayed accused. The investigating agency ought to have examined the office bearers of Sanatan Sanstha whose involvement in larger conspiracy cannot be ruled out. From the use of psychiatric drugs on its members without their consent to planning and executing murders and bomb-blasts, it cannot be said that these conspiracies are possible with involvement of only members of Sanatan Sanstha,” the letter said.
The Bombay high court will hear the matter on July 12.
