Padamsinh Patil, 7 others acquitted in 2006 Nimbalkar murder case
Synopsis
Nearly 20 years after Congress MLA Pawanraje Nimbalkar was shot dead in Navi Mumbai, a special CBI court has acquitted all eight accused — including former Maharashtra Home Minister Padamsinh Patil, the alleged mastermind — for want of evidence. The verdict ends one of Maharashtra's longest-running politically sensitive criminal trials and raises hard questions about why a case the CBI called a contract killing could not be proven in court.
Key Takeaways
A special CBI court in Mumbai acquitted all eight accused in the 2006 murder of Congress MLA Pawanraje Nimbalkar on 20 June , citing lack of evidence.
Former Maharashtra Home Minister and ex- NCP MP Padamsinh Patil , 86 , was the most prominent of the eight acquitted; the CBI had alleged he was the key conspirator.
Nimbalkar and his driver Samad Abdul Wahid Kazi were shot dead in Navi Mumbai on 3 June 2006 ; the CBI alleged a contract of ₹25–35 lakh was paid for the killings.
The prosecution's case rested largely on the testimony of approver Parasmal Jain , which the court found insufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Nimbalkar's son, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar , a rebel Lok Sabha MP with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena , was present in court for the verdict.
The case spanned nearly 20 years and was transferred to the CBI after Nimbalkar's widow alleged suppression of the original Navi Mumbai Police probe.
A special CBI court in Mumbai on Saturday, 20 June acquitted all eight accused in the 2006 murder of senior Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver Samad Abdul Wahid Kazi, citing insufficient evidence. The verdict closes nearly two decades of legal proceedings in one of Maharashtra's most politically charged criminal cases.
Who Was Acquitted
Among the eight acquitted is former Maharashtra Home Minister and ex-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Padamsinh Patil, 86, whom the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had named as the alleged key conspirator behind the killings. Patil, who is also Nimbalkar's first cousin, arrived at court in a wheelchair, accompanied by a hospital attendant. The court held that the prosecution had failed to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The 2006 Killings
Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver were shot dead on 3 June 2006 when their vehicle was intercepted by assailants in Navi Mumbai. The attackers allegedly halted the car under the guise of making an inquiry before opening fire, killing both occupants on the spot. At the time of his death, Nimbalkar was a sitting Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA) and a prominent figure in Congress politics.
The CBI Investigation and Allegations
The case was initially probed by Navi Mumbai Police, but Nimbalkar's widow, Anandibai Nimbalkar, approached the Bombay High Court alleging that the investigation was being suppressed. The court subsequently transferred the case to the CBI.
According to the agency, the murder stemmed from a bitter political and personal rivalry between the two first cousins. Their feud reportedly intensified during the 2004 Maharashtra Assembly elections, when Nimbalkar contested against Patil and lost by a narrow margin of just 484 votes. The rivalry also extended to control over the influential Terna Sugar Cooperative Factory in the Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad) region.
The CBI further alleged that Nimbalkar had exposed financial irregularities linked to Patil and had supplied information to anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare. Investigators claimed Hazare also figured on an alleged list of targets purportedly prepared by the conspirators.
The prosecution's case rested heavily on the testimony of an accused-turned-approver, Parasmal Jain, who claimed to have detailed how the conspiracy was hatched. The CBI alleged that a contract of ₹25–35 lakh was paid to eliminate Nimbalkar. Patil was arrested by the CBI in June 2009 and was later granted bail by the Alibaug Sessions Court in September 2009.
Reaction in Court
Present when the judgment was delivered was Nimbalkar's son, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, currently a rebel Lok Sabha MP affiliated with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction. The acquittal of all eight accused brings a formal legal close to a case that for nearly 20 years symbolised the intersection of political rivalry, family discord, and the limits of criminal prosecution in Maharashtra.
What Comes Next
With the special CBI court's verdict now delivered, the family or the prosecution may still explore an appeal before the Bombay High Court. The outcome will be closely watched given the political sensitivities that have surrounded the case since the killings in 2006.
Point of View
And the verdict exposes it. That the case took nearly 20 years to reach a conclusion, and ended in acquittal, will inevitably fuel questions about whether the transfer to the CBI made any material difference. For Maharashtra's cooperative-sector politics, where power and violence have historically intertwined, the verdict sends a sobering signal about accountability.
NationPress
20 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Padamsinh Patil and why was he accused in the Nimbalkar murder case?
Padamsinh Patil is a former Maharashtra Home Minister and ex-NCP MP who was alleged by the CBI to be the key conspirator behind the 2006 murder of Congress MLA Pawanraje Nimbalkar. The CBI alleged the motive was rooted in a bitter political and personal rivalry between the two first cousins, including a 484-vote loss by Nimbalkar against Patil in the 2004 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
What happened in the 2006 Nimbalkar murder case?
Congress MLA Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver Samad Abdul Wahid Kazi were shot dead on 3 June 2006 in Navi Mumbai after their vehicle was intercepted by assailants. The CBI, which took over the case from Navi Mumbai Police, described it as a pre-planned contract killing with an alleged payment of ₹25–35 lakh.
Why were all eight accused acquitted?
The special CBI court acquitted all eight accused on 20 June, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case relied heavily on the testimony of approver Parasmal Jain, which the court found insufficient to establish the alleged conspiracy.
How did the CBI get involved in the Nimbalkar murder case?
The case was initially investigated by Navi Mumbai Police. Nimbalkar's widow, Anandibai Nimbalkar, approached the Bombay High Court alleging that the probe was being suppressed, following which the court transferred the investigation to the CBI.
Can the verdict be challenged?
Yes, the acquittal by the special CBI court can potentially be challenged through an appeal before the Bombay High Court. It remains to be seen whether the prosecution or the Nimbalkar family will pursue that route.
