A Kolhapur court on Saturday granted bail to Sanatan Sanstha activist Samir Gaikwad, an accused in the murder case of Communist Party of India leader Govind Pansare, reported Hindustan Times.
Gaikwad’s bail application was accepted by the court on the conditions that he will not enter the Kohlapur district and be present before the investigation agency every Sunday. Gaikwad was also asked to surrender his passport. His bail plea had been rejected thrice before, reported The Indian Express.
Panasare and his wife were shot by unidentified persons in 2015 when they were returning home from their morning walk. While his wife survived, Panasare died at a Mumbai hospital four days later.
Gaikwad was arrested in connection with the murder in Sangli on September 16, 2015, by the special investigation team of Maharashtra Police. He was sent to judicial custody on December 25, 2015 after police’s plea for further custody was rejected by a court in Kolhapur.
In the earlier hearing on Thursday, the Special Investigation Team working on the case had filed a supplementary charge sheet, which revealed there may have been more than two killers involved in the case. The SIT had accused Gaikwad as co-conspirator, who it said along with other Sanatan Sanstha activists had killed Pansare.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!