CBI files 5000-page chargesheet against Padamsinh Patil

Mumbai, Aug 20(ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday submitted a 5000-page chargesheet, in which it named suspended Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Padamsinh Patil as the prime accused and conspirator in the 2006 murder of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimabalkar.

"The charge sheet, filed in a Panvel court, includes the statements of 181 witnesses and over 200 documents alleging the involvement of Patil and others in the crime," said P Kandaswamy, the head of CBI's Mumbai Zone.

In the chargesheet, the CBI alleged that Patil hatched the conspiracy to murder Nimbalkar due to political rivalry, as he nursed a suspicion that Nimabalkar had challenged his (Patil's) survival in politics.

It also said that Patil had paid a 'supari' (contract killing) of Rs 30 lakh to the other accused to eliminate Nimbalkar.

The murder of Nimbalkar and his driver took place at a Navi Mumbai croosing on June 3, 2006.

The police had made no progress for two years until the city crime branch arrested jeweller Parasmal Jain in a robbery case. Jain disclosed the murder conspiracy and was handed over to the CBI. Patil was arrested on June 6 this year.

The other accused, who were charge sheeted are Jain, Satish Mandade, Mohan Shukla, Dinesh Tiwari, Kailash Yadav and Pintoo Singh. (ANI)