Govind Pansare murder case: Accused Samir Gaikwad granted bail by Kolhapur court

Sanatan Sanstha activist Samir Gaikwad, prime accused in the murder of rationalist Govind Pansare, was today granted bail by a local court in Kolhapur.

Senior Communist leader and rationalist Govind Pansare was shot dead by unidentified men on February 16, 2015 when he was out for morning walk with his wife.

The bail has been granted on the conditions that Gaikwad will not enter Kolhapur and be present before the Special Investigations Team (SIT) every Sunday from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm.

Gaikwad has been asked not to leave Maharashtra and surrender his passport. He has also been asked not to threaten or influence witnesses.

The state government had formed a SIT to probe the high profile murder case. In September 2015, Gaikwad was arrested from Sangli as a prime suspect in the case by the SIT of Maharashtra Police.

"We welcome the court's decision of granting bail to Samir. He has been behind bars for two years only on the grounds of suspicion. The investigating team had no evidence against him and hence he has been granted bail. We now want the trial to start at the earliest so that Samir can walk out clean," said Abhay Vartak, spokesperson of the Sanatan Sanstha.

Meanwhile, the Pansare family has expressed displeasure over the bail and urged the state government to immediately appeal against the bail in the High Court. "The state government should waste no time in appealing against the bail in the High Court," said Megha Pansare, daughter-in-law of the late communist leader.

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