Vishram Patil murder case

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Vishram Patil (V. G. Patil) murder case gained national attention in India when the widow of the murder victim accused Pratibha Patil, the presidential nominee of the UPA, of shielding her brother G. N. Patil on the murder.

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[edit] Murder

G. N. Patil was nominated by MPCC as President of the District Congress Committee of Jalgaon for one year in 2004. In 2005 an election by secret ballot was held for the position. He contested the election but lost to his opponent V.G.Patil by 13 votes. V.G.Patil was a professor of English in a college in Jalagaon affiliated to the North Maharashtra University. After getting elected, he instituted an enquiry into misappropriation of funds collected for felicitation of Pratibha Patil and for tsunami relief.

On 21 September 2005 V.G.Patil was murdered near his house in broad daylight. The local police arrested two assailants – Raju Mali and Raju Sonawane - and started an enquiry. However, on instructions from Mumbai the case was transferred to CID. In a letter to the police, the widow of V.G.Patil Ms. Rajani Patil named Dr. Ulhas Patil, a former Congress MP from Jalagaon, and G. N. Patil as conspirators.

[edit] High court order and CBI inquiry

On petition of the widow the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court in February 2007 directed the CBI to take over the probe from the CID. The judge stated in his ruling:

“We have scrutinized the entire record with the help of counsel for both sides. We have considered the chequered history of the present case, the developments which have taken place after filing of chargesheet, issues involved, and the reference to alleged conspiracy by the influential political leaders of the region. Having regard to the importance of issues involved and the alleged complicity of the influential political leaders referred to in paragraphs no. 3 and 4 of the petition, in our considered opinion, this is a fit case where the investigation should be conducted by the CBI.”

A CBI team visited Jalagaon on 4 April 2007, however three days later Raju Mali, the principal assassin who was in police custody, died in mysterious circumstances.

On June 23, 2007 the district and sessions court of Jalgaon allowed the CBI to file the supplementary charge-sheet in the murder case against G. N. Patil.

[edit] Murder case in media

The Hindi news channel AAJ TAK in October 2006 telecast an 20-minute investigative report on this murder case in its weekly programme ‘Hatyaara Kaun?’ (who is murderer). The report revealed the following facts:

  • Both Dr. G. N. Patil and Dr. Ulhas Patil had made numerous calls from their mobiles, before as well as on the day of murder.
  • In September 2006, the two assailants — Raju Mali and Raju Sonawane — went on an indefinite fast inside the Jalagaon district jail. Raju Mali said, “We have been simply made sacrificial lambs in the case, whereas the real culprits are untouched.”

[edit] Allegation of shielding by Pratibha Patil

On June 22, 2007, Rajni Patil, a professor of Marathi in a Jalgaon college, and the widow of murdered Jalgaon congressman Vishram G Patil in an NDA facilitated press conference claimed that her husband was murdered by Pratibha Patil's brother G. N.Patil. She accused Pratibha Patil of shielding her brother. She further said that she had written to Sonia Gandhi and President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam giving details about the allegation. Copies of her memorandum to the President on this issue were distributed to the press by Mr. Sudheendra Kulkarni, an aide of Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani.[1][2]

On 13 July, 2007 Rajani Patil moved the Bombay High Court demanding that the CBI "interrogate" UPA's presidential candidate Pratibha Patil and her brother in connection with the case before the presidential poll.Rajni Patil's petition stated that the CBI, which was directed by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court to probe the case in February, must question Pratibha before July 19, the date for the presidential election because she might get "presidential immunity" if she wins the poll.[3]

The lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told said that two CDs have surfaced which contain incriminating material against Patil's brother. The CDs contain footage of the elections for the district Congress presidentship in Jalgaon. Jethmalani offered to place both CDs on record, saying "These contain vital information showing the political link behind the murder." [1]

[edit] Timeline and detailed quotes about allegation

On June 22, 2007, a press conference was organised at the residence of Sukhbir Singh Dhindsa, a leader of the Akali Dal which is member of the BJP led NDA coalition[4].

The Hindu reported:

“ At the press conference, Rajni Patil alleged that Ms. Pratibha Patil's brother was in some way involved in the murder of her (Ms. Rajni Patil's) husband several years ago. The suggestion was that Ms. Pratibha Patil had used her political influence to protect her brother. Copies of her memorandum to the President on this issue were distributed to the press by Mr. Sudheendra Kulkarni, an aide of Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani.[4] ”

She further said that she had written to Sonia Gandhi and President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam giving details about the allegation[5][6].

BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad later told reporters:

“ These are all stark, important and disturbing facts much in existence even before she was considered as a candidate for the highest constitutional office of the country ... Therefore, consistent with the norms of dignity, transparency and constitutional propriety relating to such a high office, the BJP would like Pratibha Patil herself to satisfactorily reply to some of the most disturbing questions that have emerged from Rajni Patil's revelations[7] ”

The same day, Mr. Sharad Pawar and Mr. Dasmunsi of the UPA refuted the allegations. Nagaland Post reported:

“ "It is a matter that the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) is probing. Anyway, her brother's name was not in the FIR (first information report) nor in the charge sheet," said Pawar, former Maharashtra chief minister. Both ministers blamed the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA), of which the Akali Dal is a constituent, for the slur campaign against the presidential candidate. "I met Dhindsa in the morning and he said he did not have any idea about the press conference. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was shocked to see how his colleague's house was being used for dirty politics," Pawar remarked. Referring to reports that Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former Prime Minister's Office (PMO) official, had brought the woman to the national capital, Pawar said: "It looks like NDA was behind it." Dasmunsi added: "The malign campaign by an ex-PMO official close to the former prime minister (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) is most unfortunate. It reflects their frustration and desperation and is a sign of their losing the election." [8] ”

Sushma Swaraj, NDA spokesperson and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj clarified:

“ No one in the NDA knows who this Rajni Patil is who is reported to have made some allegation against Ms. Pratibha Patil.[4] ”

[edit] References

  1. ^ Congman's wife drags Pratibha name into allegations, NDA distances itself
  2. ^ Woman claims husband killed by Pratibha Patil's brother Times of India- June 22, 2007
  3. ^ The Hindustan Times
  4. ^ a b c We don’t know about Rajni Patil, says NDA The Hindu - June 23, 2007
  5. ^ Congman's wife drags Pratibha name into allegations, NDA distances itself
  6. ^ Woman claims husband killed by Pratibha Patil's brother Times of India- June 22, 2007
  7. ^ BJP asks Patil to respond to charges June 23, 2007
  8. ^ UPA defends Patil against allegations Nagalnd Post - June 23, 2007

[edit] External links