Maharashtra: CBI to challenge acquittal in 2006 Pawanraje Nimbalkar murder case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to challenge the acquittal of all accused in the murder case of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver, setting the stage for a fresh legal battle before the Bombay High Court.

The move comes after a special CBI court in Mumbai on 20 June acquitted all the accused, including former Maharashtra Home Minister and ex-Nationalist Congress Party MP Padamsinh Bajirao Patil, giving them the benefit of doubt and holding that the prosecution had failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Nimbalkar and his driver were shot dead in broad daylight in Navi Mumbai on June 3, 2006, in a case that attracted significant political attention in Maharashtra. The investigation was later transferred to the CBI following directions from the Bombay High Court.

After conducting its probe, the agency filed a charge sheet in 2009 and a supplementary charge sheet in 2010 against nine accused persons, including Patil. One of the accused subsequently turned approver and became a key witness for the prosecution.

In its verdict, the trial court expressed reservations about the credibility of the approver's testimony, observing that the witness had altered his version on multiple occasions and that material contradictions emerged during the course of the trial.

The court held that the prosecution's case relied heavily on the witness and that his evidence could not be treated as sufficiently reliable to secure a conviction. It further noted that inconsistencies in his statements weakened the prosecution's conspiracy theory and ultimately entitled the accused to the benefit of doubt.

The CBI, however, maintained that substantial evidence had been placed before the court and announced that it would challenge the acquittal before the Bombay High Court.

Among those acquitted was Patil, 86, whom the agency had described as the alleged mastermind behind the killings. Patil, who is also Nimbalkar's first cousin, attended the court proceedings in a wheelchair accompanied by a hospital attendant. Patil is also the elder sibling of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.

The former minister was arrested by the CBI in June 2009 and later granted bail by an Alibaug court the same year. With the acquittal now under challenge, the nearly two-decade-old case is expected to enter another phase of judicial scrutiny before the High Court.

Meanwhile, Omeraje, the son the victim Pawanraje Nimbalkar is at the centre of speculation over a possible exit from Shiv Sena (UBT) amid reports of a rebellion by a group of party MPs. The timing became politically significant because the developments coincided with the long-awaited verdict in his father's murder case.

While some UBT leaders alleged that the case outcome was being used to influence political loyalties, Omraje publicly maintained that he would take a considered decision only after the verdict.

Following the acquittal of all accused by the special CBI court on Saturday 20 June, Omraje expressed disappointment and indicated that he would consult supporters in his constituency before deciding his future political course, leaving open questions about whether he will remain with Uddhav Thackeray or chart a different path.

With IANS inputs