Mumbai: The Bombay HC on Wednesday granted bail to Sharad Kalaskar (33), who was convicted in May 2024 of the 2013 murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.Kalaskar had filed an appeal before the high court against his conviction by the trial court in Pune and sought bail till its disposal. Justices A S Gadkari and R R Bhonsale said not only is the likelihood remote for the appeal to be taken up for final hearing any time soon, but the evidence on record is doubtful. Kalaskar’s identification was improper and had lost its sanctity, and two eyewitnesses’ testimony created a doubt, HC said while setting the bail at Rs 50,000.Dabholkar’s son, Hamid, said an appeal against the grant of bail would be filed in the Supreme Court. “Kalaskar is also an accused in the (communist politician) Govind Pansare murder case,” he said. The murderous assault happened on Aug 20, 2013, when Dabholkar, a crusader against superstition, was on his morning walk. HC had reserved the bail plea for orders on Dec 23, 2025.Kalaskar’s senior counsel Niteen Pradhan had assailed the validity of evidence, including the alleged assailant’s very identity based on a photograph shown to witnesses, on the basis of which the alleged assailant was nailed by the trial court. The state, represented by additional public prosecutor Ashish Satpute, and CBI, represented by special public prosecutor Amit Munde, opposed the bail plea, saying two witnesses had seen the shooting.About the AuthorSwati DeshpandeSwati Deshpande is Senior editor at The Times of India, Mumbai, where she has been covering courts for over a decade. She is passionate about law and works towards enlightening people about their statutory, legal and fundamental rights. She makes it her job to decipher for the public the truth, be it in an intricate civil dispute or in a gruesome criminal case.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosRaghav Chadha Fallout: Who Really Wins and Loses in Punjab?Mumbai–Pune Expressway’s ‘Missing Link’ Opens May 1: Faster Travel, Better Safety, No Extra Toll90-Year-Old Rejects Apology, Then Court Pushes ₹20 Crore Case to 2046Ganga Expressway Inaugurated: What ₹1,500 Toll Gets You on UP’s 594-km High-Speed Corridor | PM ModiUAE Quits OPEC In Big Oil Shake-Up: What It Means For India‘Siddaramaiah Ready To Step Down As Karnataka CM If Rahul Gandhi Asks’: Ex-Minister RajannaBengal Phase 2 Polls: 142 Constituencies Vote Today, Over 3.21 Crore Voters to DecideChokepoints of Power: how India can ‘trump’ China on the seasSwati Maliwal’s Explosive Exit: Assault Allegations, ‘Betrayal’ Charges Rock AAP As She Joins BJPIndian Aviation Sector Warns Of Possible Shutdown Amid Soaring Fuel Costs123PhotostoriesHow to make Cucumber Sandwich for a light summer breakfastTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: Who is Nilesh Bhatt? Meet the actor who played over 20 different roles on the showWhy does day-old rice get dry in the refrigerator? 4 easy fixes to keep it soft and fluffy‘Ted Lasso’ season 4 release: Here is all you need to knowShe thought it was stress, doctors found a hormone disorderTamannaah Bhatia serves Andy Sachs energy at ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ India screening in a dramatic David Koma ensembleJyotiraditya Scindia carries an onion in his pocket: Why Indians follow this tradition in summerIs your child not serious about studies? 5 parental behaviours that could be the reasonTMC’s fort or BJP’s breakthrough? The 7 districts that will decide who rules Nabanna‘Baahubali 2’ 9 year anniversary: Top 5 iconic scenes that defined Prabhas’ superstardom123Hot PicksExit Poll Result 2026Bengal Election 2026Bengal Poll Phase 2 ViolenceFirhad HakimMK StalinExit Poll PredictionsHimanta Biswa SarmaTop TrendingAssembly Election Exit PollsExit Poll results 2026Bengal Exit Polls 2026Puducherry Exit Polls 2026IPL Match TodayMI vs SRH HighlightsRaja Raghuvanshi Wife BailBengal PollsCGBSE 12th ResultIPL Orange Cap
Mumbai: The Bombay HC on Wednesday granted bail to Sharad Kalaskar (33), who was convicted in May 2024 of the 2013 murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.Kalaskar had filed an appeal before the high court against his conviction by the trial court in Pune and sought bail till its disposal. Justices A S Gadkari and R R Bhonsale said not only is the likelihood remote for the appeal to be taken up for final hearing any time soon, but the evidence on record is doubtful. Kalaskar’s identification was improper and had lost its sanctity, and two eyewitnesses’ testimony created a doubt, HC said while setting the bail at Rs 50,000.Dabholkar’s son, Hamid, said an appeal against the grant of bail would be filed in the Supreme Court. “Kalaskar is also an accused in the (communist politician) Govind Pansare murder case,” he said. The murderous assault happened on Aug 20, 2013, when Dabholkar, a crusader against superstition, was on his morning walk. HC had reserved the bail plea for orders on Dec 23, 2025.Kalaskar’s senior counsel Niteen Pradhan had assailed the validity of evidence, including the alleged assailant’s very identity based on a photograph shown to witnesses, on the basis of which the alleged assailant was nailed by the trial court. The state, represented by additional public prosecutor Ashish Satpute, and CBI, represented by special public prosecutor Amit Munde, opposed the bail plea, saying two witnesses had seen the shooting.
