Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said the govt will appeal the acquittal in the Pawanraje Nimbalkar double murder case. He confirmed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed the CBI to file an appeal in the High Court.
Maharashtra Govt to Appeal Acquittal
The Maharashtra government is going to appeal the acquittal in the Pawanraje Nimbalkar double murder case, deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Saturday.
According to Dy CM Shinde, him, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis talked with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who gave the instructions to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file an appeal in the case. "I myself, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, have spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Amit Shah ji has stated that the CBI will appeal this decision in the High Court and contest the case. The Union Home Minister has issued these instructions to the CBI," Shinde told ANI here.
Expressing sorrow over the verdict, Shinde said that him, along with the Nimblakar family believed before that the accused will be punished. "This is a very unfortunate incident; it is a very tragic event because Pawanraje Nimbalkar ji and two others were murdered in broad daylight. This was a very serious and grave matter. The family and many others believed that the accused would be punished. However, unfortunately, the CBI court has acquitted them," he said.
CBI Court Acquits All Accused Citing Lack of Evidence
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court today acquitted all nine accused in the 2006 double murder case involving then Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver Samad Kazi, citing a lack of evidence.
Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver Samad Kazi were killed in June 2006 in the Kalamboli area of Navi Mumbai. The investigation was later taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the case remained under trial for several years.
Among those acquitted was former NCP leader Padamsinh Patil, who was one of the key accused in the case. A total of nine people had been arrested and chargesheeted in connection with the murders.
Pawanraje Nimbalkar is father of Omraje Nimbalkar, who is one of the 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MP who rebelled against the party amid speculation that those leaders are set to join the Eknath Shinde-led party instead.
Following the completion of the arguments and examination of evidence, the special CBI court acquitted all the accused. UBT MP Omraje Nimbalkar was at the court along with family members too.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)