Arrested Pawar aide in ICU, may not appear in court for alleged murder charge

Mumbai, June 7 (ANI): A close aide of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Padamsinh Patil, who was detained on Saturday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the murder of senior Congress leader Pawanraj Nimbalkar in 2003, may not appear in court Sunday.

According to sources, Patil complained of severe chest pain this morning and has now been admitted to the ICU of Mumbai's J J Hospital. He was to be taken to the Panvel court at about 11:30 a.m.

Patil is a senior leader of Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party and a Member of Parliament from Maharashtra's Osmanabad District.

Earlier, Superintendent of Police, CBI, Amitabh Thakur, confirming Patil's arrest, said he was being questioned at the CBI office in South Mumbai after an arrested accused Parasmal Jain claimed that Patil had ordered Nimbalkar's murder.

According to a statement submitted by Jain, he was paid a supari (contract amount) of Rs.30 lakh by Patil to eliminate Nimbalkar due to business rivalry.

The CBI had earlier this year nabbed two people, and one of them had confessed to the murder of Nimbalkar at somebody's behest. (ANI)