Bombay High Court grants bail to convict in rationalist Dabholkar murder case

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Sachin Andure and suspended his life sentence in connection with the murder of rationalist and social activist Narendra Dabholkar, who was killed in 2013. Andure was among those convicted in the high-profile case that drew significant public attention due to the victim's prominent work against superstition and for scientific temper.

The bail order comes as Dabholkar's daughter, Mukta, continues her legal battle through the appellate courts. She had filed an appeal before the Bombay High Court challenging the acquittals of certain accused and objecting to the exclusion of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Andure and co-accused Kalaskar.

In her plea, Mukta alleged that the murder was part of a larger conspiracy orchestrated by right-wing extremist elements, a claim that has remained central to her appeals. The case has seen multiple legal twists, with varying outcomes at different judicial levels, keeping the matter alive in courts for over a decade.

The murder of Dabholkar, a vocal critic of superstition and advocate for rationalism, had sparked widespread concern about targeted attacks on activists. The court's decision on bail and the suspension of sentence is likely to intensify scrutiny of the case proceedings and the charges levelled against the accused.