The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Sachin Andure, a key accused in the murder of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, and suspended the life sentence imposed on him by a sessions court in 2024.
The order comes just days before the 13th anniversary of Dabholkar's assassination, which took place in Pune on August 20, 2013.
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Andure, who was convicted in the case, will now walk out of jail following the High Court's decision to suspend the sentence. He was identified as one of the key accused in the murder case.
The development means that both key accused convicted in the case have now secured bail. Co-accused Sharad Kalaskar was granted similar relief earlier in April.
Dabholkar, a prominent rationalist and anti-superstition activist, was shot dead in Pune on August 20, 2013, while he was out for his morning walk. His killing triggered widespread outrage and demands for action against those responsible.
The case was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which subsequently arrested several accused in connection with the murder. The trial eventually resulted in convictions by the sessions court in 2024.
The Bombay High Court's latest order suspending Andure's life sentence does not amount to an acquittal. The conviction remains subject to the ongoing legal proceedings, while the suspension of the sentence allows him to remain out of prison on bail.
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The High Court's decision is expected to draw renewed attention to the long-running Dabholkar murder case, which has remained one of Maharashtra's most closely watched criminal investigations since the 2013 killing.
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