NCP Leader Padamsinh Patil, Seven Others Acquitted in Nimbalkar Murder Case
A Mumbai sessions court on Saturday, June 20, 2026, acquitted all eight accused, including Lok Sabha MP and senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) Padamsinh Patil, in the 2006 murder of former MLA Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver.
What Led to the Acquittal?
The court cited a lack of credible evidence and pointed to multiple flaws in the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). These flaws included unreliable witnesses, missing mobile phone records, and inconsistent statements.
One of the primary reasons for the acquittal was the unreliability of a key witness, an accused who later turned an approver. This approver had a history of lying, and the court found it implausible that he would commit such a crime for a sum of ₹50,000.
The investigation also suffered from significant procedural lapses, including the failure to seize the mobile phones of the accused or obtain their call detail records. The approver’s account of his movements on the day of the murder changed multiple times, rendering his testimony unreliable.
Discrepancies in the Investigation
There were also discrepancies regarding the vehicle used for committing the crime. The car was completely burnt, but the seizure report mentioned its color as green. The court questioned how the color could be determined from a burnt vehicle.
Additionally, there were differing accounts on where the vehicle had been found. One witness said the vehicle was found near a small house, another said it was found near a bungalow, while police records showed it was found on an open plot of land.
Reaction to the Verdict
The Nimbalkar family expressed shock at the verdict. Omraje Nimbalkar, the son of Pavanraje Nimbalkar and an incumbent MP, said the judgment was unfortunate and surprising. He would challenge the verdict in the High Court and, if necessary, in the Supreme Court.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to look into the case, and the CBI is slated to challenge the verdict in the Bombay High Court.
Background of the Case
Nimbalkar and his driver were shot dead by two assailants in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai, on June 3, 2006. Mr. Patil and the other accused, who allegedly hatched and executed a conspiracy to kill Nimbalkar for a sum of ₹25 lakh, stand acquitted after two decades.
The prosecution had failed to establish the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt, the court said. Apart from Mr. Patil, 86, the other accused are Satish Mandade, Mohan Shukla, Shashikant Kulkarni, Kailash Yadav, Dinesh Tiwari, Pintu Singh (the main shooter), and Chhote Pandey.
