Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pune on August 20, 2013.
A local court today remanded Virendra Tawde, a member of Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS) and an accused in the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, to CBI custody till June 16.
Mr Tawde, arrested by CBI in Panvel near Mumbai last night, was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class N Shaikh who accepted the investigating agency's plea that custodial interrogation of the accused was required to establish his links with other suspects in the case.
Sending Mr Tawde - an ENT surgeon - in CBI custody till June 16, the Judge said that considering the seriousness of the offence and the stage of investigation, his custodial investigation was required.
HJS is an offshoot of Sanatan Sanstha, a Goa-based right wing Hindu outfit. Tawde is the first accused to be arrested in the nearly three-year-old case.
During arguments on custody plea, CBI lawyer BN Raju told the court that the central agency had proof that Mr Tawde was in touch with other suspects through e-mails.
When the Judge asked Mr Tawde if he has been ill-treated after arrest, the accused said he was slapped twice by a CBI official.
Mr Tawde's arrest is being seen as a major breakthrough in the case which has remained unsolved for the last three years.
Mr Dabholkar was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pune on August 20, 2013 when he was taking a morning walk on a bridge.
After Pune police drew a blank in tracing the culprits, the case was transferred to the CBI in May 2014 on a directive from the Bombay High Court while hearing a PIL.