Arrested Ex-Sena Corporator Helped Train Alleged Shooter in Dabholkar Murder Case

Former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar, who was arrested in connection with a case of arms seizure, has been remanded in police custody after the investigators found he had links to one of the key accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.

Pangarkar was detained on August 18 after one of the key accused in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar’s murder told CBI that Pangarkar was with him during the killing.

CBI has time and again argued in court that the two sensational murder cases are linked. The investigating agency has alleged that Sharad Kalaskar was the one who pulled the trigger on Dabholkar.

Investigators have now claimed that Pangarkar had assisted Kalaskar, along with a few others, who were arrested in an explosives case.

The former Jalna corporator has now been remanded in police custody till September 6.

Pangarkar is also suspected to have done a recce of a prominent individual from Amravati for making some anti-Hindu statements.

According to the investigators, Pangarkar was also in touch with one of the accused arrested in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. His name appeared in a diary recovered from an accused in the case.

He had also allegedly arranged for the training of Vaibhav Raut, Sudhanva Gondhlikar and Sharad Kalaskar in Jalna.

Sharad Kalaskar was handed over to the CBI on Monday for investigation in the Dabholkar murder case. He was arrested by Maharashtra ATS in the Nala Sopara explosives case.

Vaibhav Raut and Sudhanva Gondhlikar were also arrested in the Nala Sopara explosives case and have been remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.

Pangarkar, who was also arrested by the Maharashtra ATS, was allegedly riding pillion on the motorcycle that was driven by Sachin Andure, during the killing of Dabholkar.

Investigators say he provided accommodation, food and other logistical support to the other arrested persons in the explosives case during their training phase. ATS is now trying to identify the person who funded Pangarkar to make these arrangements.

Pangarkar has three bank accounts and ATS is investigating the transactions in these accounts to know who funded him for the operations.

The former Jalna corporator also provided a motorbike with a changed number plate to Vaibhav Raut to do a recce on an Amravati resident.

According to the officials, Pangarkar had two mobile phones, one of which was allegedly used for the terror operations.

According to the ATS, the arrested persons have not revealed the names of any of the mastermind in any of these cases.