I/III. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/State-unwilling-to-bring-the-guilty-to-book-say-kin-of-slain-activists/articleshow/47103197.cms
State unwilling to bring the guilty to book, say kin of slain activists TNN | Apr 30, 2015, 03.35 AM IST MUMBAI: When it comes to the murder of activists in Maharashtra, the state machinery seems to come to a grinding halt. That's something Mukta Dabholkar, daughter of slain anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, Megha Pansare, daughter-in-law of veteran communist Govind Pansare and Sandeep Shetty, brother of slain RTI activist Satish Shetty, know all too well. All three came together at a public event in Mumbai organized by human rights collective 'Hum Aazaadiyon Ke Haq Mein'. Their stories are chilling accounts of the unwillingness of the state to catch the culprits. Both Dabholkar and Pansare were killed in eerily similar style, felled by bullets at close range. Pansare, who was actively involved in labour movements, had openly battled communalism and campaigned against a mandir being built for Nathuram Godse. "We repeatedly told the police to investigate this angle, and yet they chose instead to inquire over whether he was involved in property disputes or industrial disputes," says Megha. Dabholkar's case has been lying with the CBI for ten months. Mukta speaks of the "systematic" manner in which attempts have been made to vilify her father and label him anti-Hindu. While those who killed Pansare and Dabholkar remain unknown, Sandeep mentioned the names of those suspected of killing his brother in an FIR he filed after the murder. Shetty was investigating land scams along the Mumbai-Pune expressway involving a large corporate. "The police didn't want me to mention their names in the FIR," says Sandeep. tnn II/III. http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/pansare-murder-kin-to-seek-hc-watch-on-probe/ CITIES THURSDAY, APR 30, 2015 Pansare murder: Kin to seek HC watch on probe Veeran Communist leader and anti-toll tax campaigner Govind Pandharinath Pansare. By: Express News Service | Mumbai | Published on:April 30, 2015 2:25 am Megha Pansare, daughter-in-law of murdered social activist Govind Pansare, Wednesday said the family would move the Bombay High Court with a plea to supervise the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the state to investigate the case. Megha was speaking during an interaction with the media, where Mukta Dabholkar, daughter of slain anti-superstition activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, and Sandeep Shetty, whose brother Satish, a Right To Information (RTI) activist, was murdered in 2010, were also present. The discussion was chaired by retired Bombay High Court Justice B G Kolse Patil. Megha, Mukta and Sandeep spoke about the struggle that they had been facing in getting justice for their slain family members. "I feel the murder was a planned and premeditated one but the police have not risen up to the challenge, and the political will is also missing. We have decided that we will ask for the SIT to be supervised by court, because earlier instances (of activists being murdered) do not inspire too much faith in the system," Megha said. RELATED Arrests Have To Be Made, Slogans Won't Do, Says Dabholkar's Daughter State Knew Of Threat To Govind Pansare: PIL Pansare Supporters Point Fingers Pansare was shot outside his Kolhapur residence on February 16 this year, and he succumbed to his injuries on February 20. On April 24, the Maharashtra government appointed an SIT to probe the murder. "There is also a need to go into the reasons why the case is not being detected and who is responsible for this," Megha added. Mukta and Sandeep echoed similar sentiments. "My brother's death is a very small part. It's not about my brother any more. I am only trying to show the society that the system is not unbiased. I want to tell people that they shouldn't be fooled by the aura of a CBI inquiry. Everywhere, there are people with vested interests," Sandeep said. Shetty was stabbed to death near his house in Talegaon on January 13, 2010. He had filed a complaint alleging land grab by the Ideal Road Builders (IRB) Infrastructure Limited. The case was transferred to the CBI on April 6, 2010. III. http://www.asianage.com/mumbai/families-slain-activists-slam-government-458 Families of slain activists slam government Apr 30, 2015 | Age Correspondent | Mumbai The families of anti-corruption crusader Satish Shetty and rationalists Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare -- activists murdered in Maharashtra over the last few years -- on Wednesday attacked the government as all three murders have gone unsolved. They also accused the government of being aligned with "communal" and "capitalist" elements. They were speaking on the sidelines of a public meeting at the Mumbai Press Club, organised by a collective of like-minded activists, Hum Azadiyon Ke Haq Mein. Sandip Shetty, brother of RTI activist Satish Shetty, Mukta Dabholkar, daughter of Dr Dabholkar and Megha Pansare, daughter-in-law of Pansare, the veteran communist leader from Kolhapur, along with retired high court Judge B.G. Kolse-Patil launched a scathing attack on the "system", saying it "lacked political will", thereby implying it had vested interests in the murders. Satish Shetty, an RTI activist from Talegaon near Pune, was murdered in 2010 after he unearthed illegal land deals around the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that he claimed involved the complicity of the IRB Infrastructure company. Anti-superstition crusader Dr Dabholkar was gunned down in August 2013 at Pune while Mr Pansare was shot dead two months ago in Kolhapur. Sandip Shetty said, "Despite having ample evidence against the accused, the CBI filed its closure report in the case -- a U-turn from its previous submissions in court where it claimed it had prima evidence that pointed to the accused's culpability. Even the court did not question the change in stand." In Dr Dabholkar's murder, no breakthrough has been achieved even after the CBI took over the probe, while in Mr Pansare's murder, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is yet find any leads. Ms Pansare said that the government hurriedly formed an SIT to prevent a court-supervised probe that the family had demanded. "They don't want to fix responsibilities if the investigation does not progress," she said. Seconding her, Ms Dabholkar termed the government 'corrupt' and appealed for a cohesive voice against the system to pressurise the administration to act. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. 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