Contradictions surface in Pramod Mahajan case

Mumbai, May 11: Contradictions surfaced in the murder trial of slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, when spot panch witness Dattaram Narvankar insisted that there was only one crystal glass on the dining table of the late BJP leader's house, while the prosecution's documents showed that fingerprint experts had collected samples from two glasses on April 22 last year.

During his cross-examination by defence advocate Harshad Ponda, Mr Narvankar denied that there were two crystal glasses on the dining table. He insisted, in confirmity with the panchnama, that there was only one glass and a cup and saucer on the table when Adv Ponda specifically pointed to the court the listing of two crystal glasses on the dining table in the documents supplied to the court by prosecution.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam clarified that no such articles were seized by the police from the spot of incident. He, too, insisted that there had been only one glass on the dining table.

The defence also brought to the notice of the court discrepancy in the statements by the panch witness as he had been called by the police directly to the scence of offence, whereas the late Pramod was shot at by his younger brother Pravin on April 22 last year.

Mr Narvankar told the Additional Sessions Judge Shrihari Davare that while waiting outside the Purna building police had requested him to become a panch, whereas in the very first paragraph of the Panchnama it was recorded that, he was called directly to flat no 1503 of the Purna building.

The contradictions pointed out by the defence may pose question marks over the credibility of the witness, whose cross-examination will continue tomorrow.

UNI