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Sanatan Sanstha chief may be questioned over arms haul, Dabholkar murder: Reports

Published

8 years ago

August 22, 2018

Sanatan Sanstha chief may be questioned over arms haul, Dabholkar murder: Reports

Leader of Hindu fundamentalist group Sanatan Sanstha, Jayant Athavale, is likely to face questioning by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) over arms hauls from different parts of the state between August 9 and 11, said media reports quoting sources.

Sanatan Sanstha has denied the reports.

Crude bombs and weapons were seized from different locations following the arrest of three members of the group, the police have said.

The men, who were regular visitors at the Sanatan Sanstha headquarters in Goa, were picked up from Nallasopara in Palghar district last week and have been accused of planning blasts in the state, the police said.

The police say the members of the Goa-based outfit – which has a pan-India presence – are connected with the murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

A few days ago, the CBI arrested 28-year-old Sachin Andure and claimed that Andure had hatched the plan to murder Dabholkar along with Sanatan Sanstha member, one Virendra Tawde.

The CBI also arrested another suspect Sachin Kalaskar in connection with the case. Earlier, the Maharashtra ATS had arrested Vaibhav Raut, a Sanatan Sanstha sympathiser and recovered crude bombs from Raut’s residence.

The raid at the pistol manufacturing unit at Nalasopara in Palghar district took place after questioning Sachin Andure, the man who allegedly shot Narendra Dabholkar along with one Sharad Kalaskar.

On August 10, Sharad Kalaskar was arrested along with Vaibhav Raut and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar, from Palghar and Pune districts in connection with the arms haul. The police claim he has admitted to the murder of Narendra Dabholkar.

The investigators have questioned 16 people, located across Pune, Satara, Nallasopara, and Solapur, for links with the three arrested men said media reports. Yesterday, (Tuesday, August 21) a former Shiv Sena corporator, Shrikant Pangarkar, was also arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with the arms haul

Jayant Athavale, 76, had worked as a psychotherapist in UK for 7 years and then in Mumbai, claims the website of Sanatan Sanstha.

The reports of Athavale’s likely questioning come just a day after Congress demanded that Athawale be arrested.

“The police should arrest Athawale if it is interested in zeroing in on the masterminds behind the murder of Dabholkar and other rationalists, Comrade Govindrao Pansare and Professor MM Kalburgi, and journalist Gauri Lankesh,” Congress’ Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

It may be noted that Dabholkar was found dead in a pool of blood in Pune on the morning of August 20, 2013. Govind Pansare was shot at in Kolhapur on February 16, 2015. He later died of injuries on February 20. Gauri Lankesh was killed outside her residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017.

Meanwhile, media reports said Sanatan Sanstha, the radical Hindu outfit allegedly linked to the murders of rationalist thinkers and activists, was all set to be banned by the UPA government in 2013. The Congress-led coalition, however, developed cold feet, fearing the party would be branded anti-Hindu with Lok Sabha elections around the corner, News18 reported.

Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan told News 18 that he had recommended a ban on the Sanatan Sanstha in 2011. “When I was the CM in April 2011, Maharashtra Police brought before me a lot of documentary evidence and a big dossier on this organisation. After studying it, we came to the conclusion that we should ban this organisation and sent a formal proposal to the Union Home Ministry,” Chavan said.

He said the deliberation on banning Sanatan Sanstha went on for two years and in 2013 documentary evidence was submitted to the Centre. “After a lot of correspondence, we sent a 1,000-page dossier in 2013 and it was being investigated by the Union Home Ministry,” the former CM said.

A Home Ministry official confirmed this, saying that a plan to ban the outfit was afoot in 2013. “A file was prepared, but the decision was not taken for political reasons,” the unnamed official told News 18.

According to sources, the Congress party’s internal deliberations showed it was wary of being branded ‘anti-Hindu’ ahead of the 2014 General Elections, the News 18 report said.

Sanatan Sanstha spokesperson Shambhu Gaware has called the Congress demand to ban the organisation as “politically motivated”, said News 18. “In the Madgaon case too, the Sanatan Sanstha was blamed, but all accessed were acquitted,” he said, referring to the 2009 blast in the Goa town.

Another Sanstha spokesperson Chetan Rajhans accused Chavan of “spreading rumours”. “Prithviraj Chavan has been spreading rumours that people with Right-wing ideology are involved in the Dabholkar murder case since before investigation began. The probe, therefore, has taken a wrong turn. Only time will tell whether there will be a ban on Sanstha or not, but Vikhe Patil (Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra) is going behind bars,” Rajhans said.

Related Topics:Anti-Terrorism Squad Gauri Lankesh Sanatan Sanstha

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Air India sacks Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after failing drug test

Air India has terminated the Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after a confirmatory test found a psychoactive substance following the August 4 incident.

Published

2 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Air India has terminated the employment of the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The pilot was in command of flight AI2379, which was travelling from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude over Odisha. The incident left 24 passengers injured.

Air India said the termination was in line with its zero-tolerance policy regarding safety violations and regulatory requirements.

Air India terminates pilot with immediate effect

In a statement, the Tata-owned airline said the pilot-in-command had tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The airline said that, considering its zero-tolerance approach to violations related to safety, fitness and regulatory requirements, the pilot’s employment had been terminated with immediate effect.

Air India also said it continues to cooperate fully with the investigation into the incident and has provided access to relevant operational, maintenance and technical records.

What happened on the Phuket-Delhi flight?

According to the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Airbus A320 was carrying 145 people when it experienced the near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at around 36,000 feet.

The technical failure resulted in the autopilot disconnecting and triggered a brief stall warning. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude, resulting in injuries to 24 passengers.

The preliminary report also noted that the pilot tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test.

However, the report did not establish that the pilot’s drug-test result caused or contributed to the hydraulic system failure or the subsequent loss of altitude.

AAIB recommends action over psychoactive substance finding

The AAIB described the confirmation of psychoactive substance use as a serious concern and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action against the pilot on priority.

The investigation into the technical and other aspects of the incident is still underway.

The preliminary report also noted that the co-pilot was flying the aircraft when the incident occurred and attempted to bring the situation under control.

Air India said safety remains its highest priority and that its pilots undergo training, proficiency checks, medical examinations and other regulatory assessments in accordance with applicable requirements.

India News

India offers forensic DNA support to identify Nepal flood victims

India will make forensic laboratory facilities available for DNA profiling of first-degree relatives of people missing after Nepal’s August 26 flash floods.

Published

7 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

India has offered forensic laboratory support to help identify people who remain missing after the devastating flash floods in Nepal.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said central and state forensic laboratories in India will make their DNA profiling facilities available for first-degree biological relatives of people missing after the August 26 flash floods in Nepal.

DNA samples can be provided by relatives in India

According to the MEA, first-degree biological relatives living in India can have their biological samples collected and DNA profiles prepared.

The relatives can include a person’s father, mother, son, daughter or sibling. DNA profiling can be carried out at Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs), State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs), laboratories of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), and NABL-accredited laboratories with DNA profiling capabilities.

The initiative is intended to support Nepal’s ongoing process of identifying mortal remains recovered after the flash floods.

DNA profiles to be compared with unidentified remains

The MEA said the DNA profiling may use Autosomal STR DNA profiling, as advised by Nepal Police, subject to the technical requirements communicated by the Nepali authorities.

Once prepared, DNA profiles and the preliminary information required by Nepalese authorities can be sent to Nepal Police by email for comparison with DNA profiles obtained from unidentified mortal remains.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu will also facilitate coordination, with copies of the DNA profiles to be shared with the embassy for this purpose.

Nepal flood death toll rises

The death toll from the flash floods has risen to at least 1,259, according to Nepalese authorities, after rescue workers recovered additional bodies from affected areas.

More than 12,000 people have been rescued, while around 5,000 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.

The flash floods, which followed an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, caused extensive destruction across towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.

India News

PM Modi hails ISRO after successful GSLV-F17 launch, calls it proud moment

PM Modi congratulated ISRO after GSLV-F17 successfully launched EOS-05, calling the achievement a proud moment for India.

Published

12 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, describing the achievement as a proud moment for the nation.

The GSLV-F17 lifted off at 2:55 a.m. IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The EOS-05 satellite was subsequently placed into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.

PM Modi praises ISRO’s growing capabilities

In a post on X, PM Modi said the successful mission reflected the excellence, innovation and expanding capabilities of India’s space sector.

Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation.

The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define… https://t.co/fXzwnSmwAF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2026

He also highlighted the growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry, saying it was strengthening India’s space programme and expanding capabilities across the wider space ecosystem.

The prime minister described the successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05 as another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a matter of national pride.

EOS-05 strengthens earth observation capabilities

According to the report, EOS-05 is India’s first-ever imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit. The satellite is designed to provide continuous observation of the country from an altitude of nearly 36,000 km above Earth.

The mission is expected to strengthen India’s earth observation capabilities and support advanced imaging and observation applications.

ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the mission, saying the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit.

Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as a significant milestone for the GSLV programme. He said it was the 19th flight of the GSLV and noted that EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite the launch vehicle has placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit or sub-GTO orbit.

GSLV-F17 launch vehicle details

The GSLV-F17 stands 51.7 metres tall and has an approximate liftoff mass of 420.5 tonnes.

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated the ISRO team following the successful mission. He described EOS-05 as a state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite capable of advanced imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands.