2025:BHC-AS:14-DB IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 1565 OF 2015

1) Ms. Smita Pansare Age 47 years currently R/at: Plot No.

17, Ideal Society, Sagar Mal Shastri Nagar, Kolhapur.

2) Dr. Megha Pansare, Age 49 years R/at: Plot No. 17, Ideal Society, Sagar Mal Shastri Nagar, Kolhapur. …..Petitioners.

Vs.

State Of Maharashtra, through the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Mantralaya, Mumbai 400 032. …..Respondent WITH CRIMINAL APPLICATION (APPW) NO.43 OF 2017 Ms. Smita Pansare & Anr. …..Applicants.

Vs.

State Of Maharashtra. …..Respondent WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO.725 OF 2019 Dr. Megha Pansare, Aged 53 years, r/o. Plot No.17, Ideal Society, Sagar Mal, Shastri Nagar, Kolhapur. ….Applicant In the matter between:-

Smita Pansare & Ors. …..Petitioners.

Vs.

State Of Maharashtra …..Respondent WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO.2645 OF 2022 Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar, Age 29 year old, Presently lodged at Central Jail, Yerwada, Pune. ….Applicant/Intervenor In the matter between:-

1) Smita Pansare R/o Plot No.17, Ideal Society, Pratibhanagar, Kolhapur-416008.

2) Medha Pansare, R/o. Plot No. 17, Ideal Society, Pratibhanagar, Kolhapur-416008. …..Petitioners.

Vs.

State Of Maharashtra, through the office of Govt.

Pleader. …..Respondent WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO.2647 OF 2022 Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar, permanently residing at Kesapuri, Tal- Daulatabad, Dist. Aurangabad and at present lodged in Yerawada Central Prison, Pune. ….Applicant/Intervenor In the matter between:-

1) Smita Pansare R/o Plot No.17, Ideal Society, Pratibhanagar, Kolhapur-416008.

2) Medha Pansare, R/o. Plot No. 17, Ideal Society, Pratibhanagar, Kolhapur-416008. …..Petitioners.

Vs.

State Of Maharashtra, represented by Govt.

Pleader. …..Respondent WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 1810 OF 2024 Dr. Virendrasingh S. Tawade, presently lodged in Anda Cell, Yerawada Jail, Pune-411 006. ….Applicant/Intervenor In the matter between:- 1) Ms. Smita Pansare Age 47 years r/o Plot No.17 Ideal Society, Sagar Mal Shastri Nagar, Kolhapur.

2) Smt. Medha Pansare, Age 49 years r/o. Plot No. 17, Ideal Society, Sagar Mal, Shastri Nagar, Kolhapur. …..Petitioners.

Vs.

State Of Maharashtra, through the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Mantralaya, Mumbai. …..Respondent ___________________________________________

Mr. Anand Grover, Senior Advocate (Through VC) a/w Mr. Amit Singh, Mr. Kabeer Pansare, Ms. Anasamah Sayed and Mr. Tanuj Kushare i/b Abhay Nevagi & Associates for Petitioners.

Mr. Subhash Jha a/w Mr. Siddharth Jha, Ms. Apeksha Sharma, Mr. Sumeet Upadhyay and Mr. Ashish Saxena i/b Law Global Advocates for the Applicant in IA No.1810 of 2024.

Mr. Ashok Mundargi, Special P.P. a/w Smt. M.M. Deshmukh, Addl. P.P for the Respondent-State.

Mr. Meena Jayant, IPS, IO-ATS present.

___________________________________________

CORAM : A. S. GADKARI AND KAMAL KHATA, JJ.

RESERVED ON : 16^th DECEMBER, 2024 PRONOUNCED ON : 2^nd JANUARY, 2025.

J UDGMENT (P ER A.S. G ADKARI , J.) :-

1) Petitioners i.e. the daughter and daughter-in-law of late Comrade Govindrao P. Pansare have invoked jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, for a Writ of Mandamus or any other Writ, Order or direction in the nature of mandamus, directing the Respondent No.1 for appointing an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Additional Director General of Police and comprising of Officers of the ranks of Inspector General of Police and other Senior Officers of impeccable credentials to conduct an investigation into the conspiracy and gruesome murder of Shri. Govind Pansare, and to take all necessary consequential steps, actions pertaining thereto and provide them necessary facilities and support and to monitor the investigation to be carried out by the SIT sought to be constituted through the present Petition till the investigation is reached to its logical conclusion.

2) Heard Mr. Grover, learned senior counsel for the Petitioners. Mr. Mundargi, learned senior counsel,