Kolhapur, Nov 21 (TOI): A special investigation team (SIT) probing rationalist Govind Pansare's murder has been instructed to start preparing the chargesheet to be filed against accused Samir Gaikwad, who was arrested on September 16. As per the criminal procedure code, the police have to file chargesheet against the accused within 90 days from his arrest. So far, the police have been investigating the case.
A senior officer told TOI that the inspector general of Kolhapur has asked the cops to start preparing the chargesheet. The charges will be framed against the accused and substantial evidence will be attached, the official said, brushing aside the reports that the police may give up filing the chargesheet since the SIT has not recovered much evidence.
Earlier, in the Narendra Dabholkar murder case, the Pune police had withdrawn charges against suspects Manish Nagori and Vilas Khandelwal as they had failed to gather substantial evidence.
Gaikwad will be produced before a local court on Saturday as his judicial custody ends on Saturday. The police have refrained from providing details of the investigations. Besides seizure of mobile handsets, Gaikwad's mobile conversation with a female friend and his links with the Sanatan Santha, no details have been provided so far.
On Friday, activists conducted a silent morning walk in protest against the slow progress of investigations. Friday marked the completion of nine months of the murder. The activists started the silent morning walk since March 20 and every month they walk on the same road which Pansare used for his morning stroll. The late Pansare's daughter-in-law, Medha led the walk .
Speaking to TOI , Medha said that Pansare's followers are worried about the delay in filing the chargesheet in the case. "The police have told the high court that they will file a chargesheet and we believe they are speaking the truth. Chargesheet filing will be another major step in the investigations. We trust since it could have the evidences they have collected from the suspect," she added.