Pansare murder accused Gaikwad gets conditional bail

Sanatan Sanstha activist Samir Gaikwad, who is an accused in the veteran Communist leader and rationalist Govind Pansare murder case, on 17 June got a conditional bail.

Gaikwad's bail application was accepted by the Kolhapur sessions court on the condition that he will cooperate with the probe by the Special Investigations Team (SIT), will not enter Kolhapur district and will surrender his passport.

Gaikwad's lawyer Sanjiv Punalekar hailed the decision, saying the activist was granted the bail on account of insufficient evidence against him.

However, family members of Pansare expressed displeasure over the bail and have said that they will knock the doors of the High Court.

"We will appeal against bail given to Gaikwad in the High Court," Megha Pansare, Govind's daughter-in-law told ANI.

In 2014, Pansare was gunned by two unidentified persons when he was returning home from his morning walk.

The SIT in its chargesheet named Gaikwad as co-conspirator and said he along with other Sanatan activists killed Pansare.

-ANI