Sources in the state home department said the central government has directed it to deal with "anti-social" and "anti-national elements" with an iron fist.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Maharashtra government to submit a detailed report on its investigation into extremist Hindutva organisation Sanathan Sanstha, which is suspected to be involved in the killings of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, communist leader Govind Pansare, writer MM Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh.
Deepak Kesarkar, state minister for home, confirmed to DNA that they are updating the report daily with details daily. "When something big happens, it is routine practice for us to inform the central government. The investigation is in a primary stage. We have not yet confirmed that Sanathan Sanstha was involved in the killing of Dabholkar and the others. The probe is under way and going in the right direction," Kesarkar said.
He said the state is not interfering in the investigation. "The police are at complete liberty to find the culprit, irrespective of their affiliation. The guilty should be punished and we will not spare anyone who is involved in organised crime," Kesarkar said.
Sources in the state home department said the central government has directed it to deal with "anti-social" and "anti-national elements" with an iron fist. "The Centre told us that Sanathan Sanstha or any other extremist Hindutva organisation causing violence in the name of cows and Hindu dharma has to be stopped. These illegal activities have tarnished the image of the BJP and the Narendra Modi-led government. Therefore, the centre had decided to teach these fringe elementsa lesson," a departmental source said, requesting anonymity.
Another officer from the state home ministry said that the BJP-led government did not want to take any risk before 2019 elections. "So the police have got a free hand to probe this case and arrest the conspirators," he said.
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