Bengaluru: Condemning those spreading rumours that Sanatan Sanstha was behind the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, the office bearers of the organization have urged the state government not to let the investigation go astray as in the case of killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare in Maharashtra.
They urged that the SIT should investigate Lankesh's connection with Pansare’s family, those who funded her and her contacts.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Chetan Rajhans, National Spokesperson, Sanatan Sanstha, said, “We condemn the murder of Lankesh. But, Sanatan Sanstha and other pro-Hindu organisations’ names are being dragged into such murder cases time and again.”
The very next day after the murder and before the SIT was formed, intellectuals with Communist ideology began targeting right wing organisations for the murder, he added.
“There were also reports that SIT has visited the Sanstha’s Ashram and are questioning its volunteers. I would like to clarify that these are all rumours and till date, no single volunteer has been questioned nor the SIT has visited the Ashram. However, we extend all support to the investigation,” Rajhans said.
Regarding Pansare and Dabholkar’s murder he said there was no fair investigation and there has been a propaganda to target Sanstha. “Call the dog mad and shoot him, this is the propaganda of some vested interests. We condemn the propaganda to defame the Sanstha and we are thinking of initiating legal action against media houses which published articles against our organisation,” he added.
Advocate Sanjiv Punalekar, the legal adviser to the organisation, alleged that there has been a consistent propaganda to show people that there is ‘Saffron Terrorism’.
“It is claimed that the modus operandi in the murder cases is similar. Are others not capable of using the same modus operandi? What is the basis for ruling out the possibility of someone else using a similar strategy? There are reports that weapon of same make was used in these cases. Such weapons are sold in thousands in Mumbai and 400 similar murders have taken place in Mumbai in the last five years. So does it mean all the murders are committed by the same people?” “Today, botched up investigations carried out in the murder cases of Pansare and Dabholkar after succumbing to pressure from their families, are stuck in the limbo. As a result, the courts of law have passed strictures against Maharashtra police. We are cautioning the Karnataka police well in advance about facing similar plight in the murder case of Gauri Lankesh. It is imperative to thoroughly investigate all aspects such as Naxalism, family disputes, property disputes, local fights etc. in the murder case of Gauri Lankesh,” he urged.
Further he alleged that following a knee-jerk reaction launched by the Dabholkar-Pansare families in Maharashtra, the Maharashtra Police indulged in manipulating witnesses, deliberately overlooking vital clues, giving misleading information to the courts and succumbing to pressures from NGOs in investigation. “Dabholkar-Pansare families are holding the reins of every decision of investigation agencies including appointments of special public prosecutors As on date, the only activity going on in Maharashtra is to postpone the imminent debacle as much as possible by trying to get adjournments and stay orders from higher courts. In the Dabholkar case, the police had seized the pistol used in the crime and arrested illegal arms dealers Vikas Khandetwal and Manish Nagori. The police had also submitted the ballistic report to the court, however, no chargesheet has been filed against them and they have been let go on bail. The Dabholkar family is maintaining absolute silence on this aspect, only because the duo does
not have any links with Hindutva organisation,” Punalekar alleged.
They also alleged that all the three - Dabholkar, Pansare and Gauri Lankesh - had links with naxals. “We had exposed that Pansare had used a trust’s fund to buy a car. Obviously, anybody will be upset if somebody eats their money and naturally they will kill you, as they (Naxals) have taken up the arms with an ideology to improve the system,” they added.
They also urged that the Karnataka police should not follow the way their Maharashtra counterparts investigated the case.
