Dabholkar Murder Case: CBI gets 90 more days to file chargesheet against accused Vikram Bhave

A special court in Pune on Thursday gave the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) another 90 days to file a chargesheet against Vikram Bhave, an accused in the murder case of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

Citing provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the CBI had sought more time as the normal period of 90 days from the arrest, within which the charge sheet is supposed to be filed, would get over on Friday, an agency official said.

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Additional Sessions Judge RM Pande granted the request. Under the UAPA, such an extension can be given. On August 17, the court had rejected Bhave's bail plea, saying prima facie there was a case against him.

Lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar and Bhave, who worked as his assistant, were arrested in the case in May. Punalekar is accused of advising Sharad Kalaskar, one of the alleged assailants in the case, to destroy the guns used in Dabholkar's murder here on August 20, 2013.

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Bhave is accused of helping Kalaskar and another shooter in conducting a recce of the area before killing the 67-year-old anti-superstition activist. Punalekar was granted bail by a court in July.