Friday, Apr 26, 2024 | Last Update : 10:49 AM IST
Sanatan Sanstha cries foul after raids
The CBI on Wednesday conducted raids at Sanatan Ashram in Panvel and the residences of Sarang Akolkar and Virendra Tawde, both members of the Hindu outfit, as part of its ongoing investigation into th
The CBI on Wednesday conducted raids at Sanatan Ashram in Panvel and the residences of Sarang Akolkar and Virendra Tawde, both members of the Hindu outfit, as part of its ongoing investigation into the alleged murder of rationalist, Dr Narendra Dabholkar.
Though officials confirmed the raids, the CBI spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.
Journalist and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashish Khetan had tweeted on Wednesday morning that Sanatan Sanstha and its affiliate, Hindu Janjagruti Samitee, were behind Dr Dabholkar’s murder.
“Agencies have cracked the case. The sadhaks of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samitee behind Dr Dabholkar’s murder identified. Sanatan Sanstha carried out several bomb blasts in Goa and Maharashtra. Agencies wanted it to be banned. Congress government failed to act,” Mr Khetan posted on a microblogging site. Sanatan Sanstha spokesperson Abhay Vartak, however, cried foul over the CBI raids. “It is a conspiracy to malign Sanatan Sanstha’s image. It’s a regular raid that has been conducted by the CBI and they have not cracked the case,”. Secondly, CBI officials raided the Panvel Ashram where they questioned Dr Tawde who was earlier a practitioner at J.J. Hospital. Later he left the hospital due to health problems and used to visit our ashram for regular check-up,” Mr Vartak said, defending Dr Tawde.
Sanatan Sanstha was set up in the 1990s by Dr Jayant Athavale to bring together Hindus after the demolition of Babri Masjid. Initially, the low-profile organisation was involved in teaching Hindu ideology. However, gradually, it started spawning branches across the country that promoted a more hardline Hindu ideology. In 2008, six persons owing allegiance to the Sanatan Sanstha were arrested for planting bombs at auditoriums in Thane and Vashi and a movie theatre in Panvel.
In 2011, two of the accused were found guilty and incarcerated for 10 years. Sameer Gaikwad, a Sanatan Sanstha member, is under arrest in connection with the murder of communist leader, Govind Pansare, in 2015.
