Mumbai: Member of Parliament Padamsinh
Patil, prime accused in the 2006 murder case of Congress
leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, is using his influence and
exerting pressure on the prosecution witnesses, CBI told the
Bombay High Court on Monday.
According to an affidavit filed by the CBI in its
petition, seeking cancellation of bail, granted by a sessions
court to Patil, six of the prosecution witnesses turned
hostile, while deposing before the trial court.
"The witnesses have gone back on their earlier
statements given to the CBI because of the pressure tactics
adopted by the respondent (Patil), who is a sitting MP from
Osmanabad constituency and is highly influential," the
affidavit filed by Samar Rana, deputy superintendent of
police, CBI said.
Patil, who was arrested in June 2009, was granted bail
by Alibaug sessions court in September the same year.
Following this, the CBI approached the high court, challenging
the lower court`s order.
The trial in the case commenced in July last year and
the prosecution has so far examined 20 witnesses. "Out of the
20 witnesses, six have retracted from the earlier statement
given by them to the investigating agency," the CBI affidavit
said.
Justice RP Sondurbaldota has kept the matter for
hearing on February 10.
According to CBI, Patil had hatched a conspiracy to
murder Nimbalkar, as he viewed the latter`s rise in political
scene as a threat to him. Patil allegedly hired killers for Rs
30 lakh to eliminate Nimbalkar, who, along with his driver was
shot dead on June 3, 2006 at Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai.
Other accused in the case include Latur-based
businessman Satish Mandade, corporator Mohan Shukla, Parasmal
Jain, former state excise inspector Shashikant Kulkarni,
Bahujan Samaj Party worker Kailash Yadav, alleged shooters
Dinesh Tiwari, Pintu Singh and Chote Pandey.
PTI
