The Bombay High Court today granted bail to Sharad Kalaskar, one of the two men convicted in the 2013 murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and R R Bhonsale passed the order, allowing Kalaskar’s plea seeking suspension of his life sentence pending appeal.

The case was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which arrested the accused between 2016 and 2019 and charged them under sections related to murder, criminal conspiracy, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Arms Act.

On 10th May 2024, a Pune sessions court had convicted Kalaskar and co-accused Sachin Andure, sentencing them to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of ₹5 lakh each. Kalaskar had moved the High Court in 2024, challenging the trial court’s verdict and seeking bail during the pendency of his appeal.