Govt records contradict accused’s claim

If government records are to be believed, suspended Nationalist Congress Party leader Padmasinh Patil had left his official bungalow much before the conspiracy to kill Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar or social activist Anna Hazare was hatched, reports Urvi Mahajani.

If government records are to be believed, suspended Nationalist Congress Party leader Padmasinh Patil had left his official bungalow much before the conspiracy to kill Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar or social activist Anna Hazare was hatched.

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On June 3, 2006, Nimbalkar was shot in Navi Mumbai.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Patil on June 3 based on a confession by Parasmal Jain, who said Patil had given him a contract to kill Nimbalkar. Jain was arrested in February in connection with a house break-in.

Jain, in his two confessional statements said Patil had given the contract to kill Nimbalkar and Hazare. He, however, said he did not accept the money to kill Hazare.

He led the police to Royal Stone bungalow off Peddar Road and said he had visited it in 2006 with another accused, Satish Mandade.

However, information obtained by Patil’s family under the Right to Information Act contradicts Jain’s claim. The letter by senior divisional accounts officer, Grade I, in the office of executive engineer (PWD) dated December 14, says Patil, a former minister, “vacated the government bungalow, Royal Stone... on March 6, 2005.”

Senior counsel V.R. Manohar had pointed out this contradiction before the Aurangabad bench of the high court while arguing Patil’s bail application in the Hazare complaint. Hazare had, in November, filed a complaint saying there was a threat to his life from Patil. On December 16, the Aurangabad bench granted bail to Patil against two sureties of Rs 1 lakh.