Dabholkar Murder Case: Tawade Admits to Looking for Ammunition

CBI got Virendra Tawade’s custody extended till 20 June on grounds of non-cooperation in the investigation.

Suspect in 2013 murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, rightwing activist Virendra S Tawde outside Sessions Court in Pune on 11 June 2016. (Photo: IANS)

Sanatan Sanstha member Virendrasinh Tawade who was arrested by the CBI for conspiracy in the Narendra Dabholkar murder case, confessed on Thursday to looking for ammunition between April to May 2013, reports The Times of India.

The new development occurred when Tawade was put face-to-face with a key witness during a hearing at a Pune court. Once the witness finished his statement, Tawade confessed to looking for a revolver and bullets in 2013.

When the witness finished giving his statement, Tawade was stunned. He was silent for a while and then admitted to his meetings with the witness and the subsequent phone calls. He also told the investigating officers that he had forgotten some details which he recalled after the witness gave his statement.

A Police Officer to <i>TOI</i>

The witness was the same person Tawade was pursuing for ammunition. The CBI had claimed that Tawade had visited the weapon training workshops at Sangali and Phonda in 2009. This led the agency to suspect that Tawade may have provided or sourced ammunition in the case.

Other Suspects

The CBI is on a lookout for another person who is suspected to have worked with Tawade, and has sought permission to question two more members of the Sanatan Sanstha.

The plan to eliminate Narendra Dabholkar was hatched over email, the CBI claimed. The agency said suspects used code words like ‘chocolate’, ‘sahitya’, ‘devil’ in their e-mail conversation.

CBI lawyer BP Raju also told the court that two-three months before Dabholkar’s murder, Tawade had received an email from an unidentified person asking him to “concentrate” on the rationalist.

Tawade Not Cooperating With CBI

The CBI also found a hit-list at Tawade’s Panvel residence from where he was arrested last week, The Times of India claims in another report.

During the hearing, the court sought and got Tawade’s custody extended till 20 June. The decision was taken by Judicial Magistrate First Class VB Gulve-Patil after Raju said that Tawade was not cooperating with the investigation.

An ENT (ear-nose-throat) surgeon by profession, Tawade as been complaining of headaches and vomiting. Although he is receiving treatment from the JJ hospital, the CBI claims that these are his tactics to avoid interrogation, reports The Indian Express.

(With PTI inputs)

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Narendra Dabholkar Murder Case: CBI Identifies the Two Gunmen
Margao Blast Bought Narendra Dabholkar 4 More Years: CBI
Sanathan Sanstha Cries Foul Over Arrest of Tawde in Dabholkar Case