Mumbai: In a significant development in the Maharashtra legal landscape, a special CBI court in Mumbai delivered a landmark verdict on June 20, 2026, acquitting senior Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader and Lok Sabha MP, Padamsinh Patil, along with seven others, in the 2006 murder case of former Congress MLA Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver. The verdict marks the conclusion of a two-decade-long legal battle that began following the chilling incident on June 3, 2006, in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai.
The court’s decision to acquit all eight accused was primarily rooted in a profound lack of credible evidence and significant procedural lapses during the CBI’s investigation. The presiding judge highlighted that the prosecution failed to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A critical factor in this judgment was the unreliability of the prosecution’s key witness, an accused who had turned approver. The court observed that this witness had provided inconsistent statements, frequently changing his account of the events and the route taken on the day of the crime, rendering his testimony fundamentally untrustworthy.
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Furthermore, the court pointed out glaring flaws in the police investigation. Crucial evidence, such as mobile phone records and call detail logs, which could have potentially corroborated a conspiracy, was never seized or analyzed. The court also noted major discrepancies regarding the vehicle used in the crime; while it was described as completely burnt, conflicting reports mentioned different colors and inconsistent locations for its recovery. Additionally, the CBI failed to adequately investigate a 2003 letter written by Nimbalkar to a District Collector expressing concerns about his safety and specifically naming Padamsinh Patil. While the court acknowledged the documented political rivalry between the two leaders, it emphasized that animosity alone could not substitute for concrete, verifiable evidence in a criminal trial.
The Nimbalkar family, led by the victim’s son, Omraje Nimbalkar, expressed deep shock and disappointment, labeling the judgment “unfortunate” and “surprising.” Omraje Nimbalkar, currently an MP, has vowed to challenge the verdict in the Bombay High Court and, if necessary, the Supreme Court, asserting that the investigation had been “managed.” The Maharashtra government, represented by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, has also expressed concern, confirming that the state will urge the CBI to contest the trial court’s ruling. As the legal system prepares for a high-stakes appeal, the acquittal has reignited public debate regarding the efficacy of investigations and the challenges of delivering justice in long-standing political murder cases.
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