Mumbai: HC allows former NCP MP to examine two witnesses

A single bench of Justice N J Jamadar passed an order on Patil’s plea filed through advocate Bhushan Mahadik, the plea claims the trial court denied fair and reasonable opportunity to the applicant to put up his defence through witnesses.

Bombay High Court, Pawanraje Nimbalkar murder case, Pawanraje Nimbalkar murder case plea, mumbai news, india news, indian express

Patil moved an application before the HC after the special CBI court allowed only one out of 39 defence witnesses, arguing that the rest were not relevant. (File)

The Bombay High Court on Friday partly allowed a plea by former NCP MP Padamsinh Patil, accused in the 2006 murder case of Maharashtra Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, to examine two witnesses. Patil had sought directions to the prosecution to examine nearly 40 witnesses before the trial court.

A single bench of Justice N J Jamadar passed an order on Patil’s plea filed through advocate Bhushan Mahadik. The plea claims the trial court denied fair and reasonable opportunity to the applicant to put up his defence through witnesses.

Patil moved an application before the HC after the special CBI court allowed only one out of 39 defence witnesses, arguing that the rest were not relevant.

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Various authorities, including police, are in possession of important documents and they need to be examined, Patil said. He said defence witnesses were entitled to equal treatment along with prosecution witnesses. The CBI has, over a nine-year period, examined 117 prosecution witnesses, Mahadik said. While the police have recorded statements of witnesses he wanted the prosecution to examine, the CBI did not take cognizance of them, he added.

But the bench partly allowed the petition, allowing Patil to examine two witnesses. While Patil sought a stay on the order, the court refused to grant it. Nimba-lkar was shot in his car in Navi Mumbai on June 3, 2006.

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