CBI Court Acquits Former Minister Padmasinh Patil in Pavanraje Nimbalkar Murder Case
A special CBI court in Mumbai on Saturday acquitted former Maharashtra minister Padmasinh Patil and seven other accused in the 2006 murder of Congress leader Pavanraje Nimbalkar.
The ruling brings an end to one of Maharashtra's longest-running political murder trials, exonerating all key suspects, including businessmen, former excise officials, and the alleged shooters. All of the accused were out on bail prior to the Saturday verdict.
Padmasinh Patil, 86, a former minister and Member of Parliament from Osmanabad, had been named by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy. Investigators claimed the murder was the culmination of a long-running political rivalry with Nimbalkar, who was Patil's cousin and had emerged as a challenger to his dominance in the district.
According to the CBI, the rivalry intensified after Patil defeated Nimbalkar in the 2004 Assembly election by just 484 votes. The dispute continued through complaints and counter-complaints linked to cooperative institutions and sugar factories. The CBI alleged that Patil financed the conspiracy and paid the contract amount to the other accused.
Patil, who suffers from age-related ailments, arrived at the court in an ambulance and was brought inside in a wheelchair. His son, BJP MLA Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, said the family had not informed him about the verdict beforehand, only telling him he was being taken to court to mark his attendance.
Among the others acquitted was Satish Mandade, a Latur-based businessman. The CBI alleged that Mandade was a close associate of Patil who handled his business interests, arranged finances, and coordinated aspects of the conspiracy.
Mohan Shukla, a retired state excise officer and former BJP corporator from Dombivli, was also acquitted. The CBI claimed Shukla acted as an intermediary, helping channel money to the contract killers through his friend Parasmal Jain, who later turned approver.
Other acquitted individuals include Shashikant Kulkarni, a former state excise officer accused of arranging Rs 4 lakh for logistical expenses, and Mahatam Chaudhary, alias Pintu, the alleged shooter from Siwan in Bihar. Chaudhary was produced from a Bihar jail where he remains lodged for another case.
