Bringing an end to a long-standing criminal case in Maharashtra, a special CBI court in Mumbai acquitted all eight accused in the 2006 murder of senior Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver. Among those acquitted was former Maharashtra Home Minister Padamsinh Patil, who was considered the main conspirator. The verdict concluded a legal battle spanning two decades, marked by political significance, family rivalry, and allegations of contract killing in the Dharashiv region.
Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver were shot dead in 2006 in Navi Mumbai when their vehicle was intercepted by assailants. Nimbalkar, a prominent Congress leader and sitting MLA, was allegedly targeted in a pre-planned contract killing linked to a larger criminal conspiracy. The case, initially investigated by Navi Mumbai Police, was later transferred to the CBI following allegations of a suppressed probe.
The murder was believed to stem from a fierce political and personal rivalry between Nimbalkar and Padamsinh Patil, who were first cousins turned political adversaries. The CBI claimed that financial irregularities and cooperative sector control were at the core of their feud. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on an accused-turned-approver’s testimony detailing the conspiracy, alleging a substantial contract amount paid for the murder.
Padamsinh Patil, arrested in 2009 and later granted bail, was acquitted along with the other accused due to the prosecution’s failure to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The judgment, attended by Nimbalkar’s son, marks the end of a case that intertwined political rivalry, family discord, and legal proceedings in Maharashtra.
