Dabholkar murder: HC grants bail to convict Sachin Andure, suspends his life sentence
Dabholkar's daughter Mukta had filed an appeal before the HC challenging the acquittals in the case and the exclusion of UAPA charges against Andure and Kalaskar; she alleged in her plea that the murder was part of a larger conspiracy by right-wing extremists.
On August 18, 2026, the Bombay High Court granted bail to Sachin Andure, convicted in the 2013 murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. The court also suspended Andure's life sentence, which was handed down by a sessions court in 2024. Andure, who is currently facing trial for the killing of activist Govind Pansare, is free to leave jail following his bail in both cases.
Dabholkar, the founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, was shot dead while on a morning walk in Pune on August 20, 2013. The investigation into the case was initially conducted by local police but was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2014 after a petition by Dabholkar's daughter Mukta.
Andure and Sharad Kalaskar were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for Dabholkar's murder in May 2024, but they were cleared of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act. The court also acquitted Virendra Singh Tawde, Sanjiv Punalekar, and Vikram Bhave due to insufficient evidence. Mukta Dabholkar had filed an appeal in the High Court challenging the acquittals and the exclusion of UAPA charges against her father and Kalaskar.
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