In a major development in the high-profile Eknath Nimgade murder case, the court has rejected the closure report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court has instead ordered that direct criminal proceedings be initiated against two accused, saying there is sufficient ground to proceed against them. The order was passed on Monday. The court directed action under Section 190(1)(b) of the CrPC against Mohsin Badruddin Ansari alias Raja Pop, who is currently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail and notorious gangsters Ranjit Safelkar, a resident of Laxmi Tower, near Old Kamptee Police Station, Kamptee. Architect Eknath Nimgade was shot dead on the morning of September 6, 2016, while he was out for a walk at Lal Imli Chowk.

 

Two men on a motorcycle allegedly opened fire at him and fled. The brutal murder shocked the city. During their investigation, the CBI took custody of Mohsin Ansari, a resident of Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. He was brought from Narsinghpur Jail on a production warrant. Mohsin, known as a professional “supari killer,” and another shooter Mohd Parwez from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, were suspected to have fired the shots that killed Nimgade. The CBI’s Special Crime Branch in Mumbai had also announced a Rs 5 lakh reward for credible information, as the case remained unsolved for a long time. Police were suspecting that the murder was linked to a dispute over prime city property worth over Rs 200 crore, owned by Nimgade.

 

According to police, gangster Ranjit Safelkar allegedly received a contract to eliminate Nimgade. He then involved another goon Sharad alias Kalu Hate, who contacted the notorious criminal Nawab alias Chhote Sahab Ashrafi alias Nubbu. The contract was allegedly settled for Rs 5 crore. Kalu Hate reportedly paid Rs 1.20 crore to Nubbu in two instalments in July 2016. When Nubbu failed to execute the murder, Kalu beat him and pressured him to complete the contract. Nubbu then formed a team, bringing in shooter Raja Pop, Parwez, a person known as Baba from Uttar Pradesh, and nine others. A production warrant has now been issued for Mohsin Ansari alias Raja Pop since he is currently in Nagpur Central Jail. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 25.

 

 

Clear scope for framing charges: Court While rejecting the CBI report, the court stated that there was clear scope for framing charges against the two accused. It noted that evidence collected during the investigation pointed towards the involvement of sharpshooter Mohsin Ansari alis Raja Pop and notorious gangster Ranjit Safelkar from Kamptee. Earlier, Nagpur’s Tehsil police and the Crime Branch were investigating the case. However, Advocate Anupam Nimgade, the victim’s son, moved the High Court citing improper and slow investigation. In November 2016, the Bombay High Court transferred the probe to the CBI.