Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Twenty years later, and after the testimonies of over 120 witnesses, a Mumbai court on Saturday acquitted former Maharashtra home minister Padamsinh Patil and seven others in the 2006 murder case of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar. The high-profile murder case, which had stirred Maharashtra two decades ago, is likely to be challenged by the CBI in a higher court.
Special Judge S R Navander said the prosecution failed to prove the chain of conspiracy. The court discarded most of the evidence presented by the CBI, which probed the case.
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WHAT IS THE 2006 MURDER CASE?
The case had grabbed attention as it involved two of Maharashtra’s prominent political families. Patil, the main accused, is the brother of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. Nimbalkar was a prominent Congress leader from Osmanabad. His son, Omraje Nimbalkar, has been in the spotlight amid buzz that he and five other Sena UBT MPs are set to merge with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
Earlier this year, Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut claimed Omraje, MP from Dharashiv, was only considering jumping ship as he was promised a favourable verdict in the case. However, with Patil being acquitted, Omraje’s next steps remain to be seen.
The murder case centres around political dominance in Osmanabad district. We previously mentioned that Pawanraje wielded considerable influence in the district. His emergence was being seen as a challenge to the dominance of Patil, who was then an MLA, in the region.
On June 3, 2006, Pawanraje’s car was allegedly intercepted by a group of people near Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai. The attackers then indiscriminately opened fire, killing both Pawanraje and his driver. The murder had then shocked Maharashtra’s political circles.
WHAT CBI FOUND
The probe was eventually handed to the CBI following a demand by Pawanraje’s family. In its chargesheet, filed in 2009, the CBI named Patil as the prime accused and alleged conspirator.
The CBI concluded that the assassination was driven by political rivalry. The agency also said that a Rs 30-lakh contract was given to the killers to eliminate Pawanraje. Patil, however, denied all the allegations.
The same year, Patil was arrested. However, a local court granted him bail in September that year.
In this case, the CBI primarily relied on the testimony of accused-turned-approver Parasmal Jain. The prosecution alleged that Jain initially accepted the contract of Rs 30 lakh. He was later granted a pardon and turned approver against the other accused.
However, on Saturday, the special court said the testimony of Jain was doubtful and could not be relied upon. The court said Jain was in illegal custody for nearly 15 days after being apprehended and was tortured.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
