Judge cites insufficient evidence despite extensive investigations and witness testimonies
Team Clarion
MUMBAI — The Nanded Sessions Court in Maharashtra has acquitted all 10 individuals accused of involvement in the 2006 bomb blast in Patbandhare Nagar, Marathwada. The accused, who are members of the RSS and Bajrang Dal, were cleared of all charges due to what the court deemed insufficient evidence, despite several investigations, including witness testimonies and forensic analysis.
The verdict, handed down by Sessions Court Judge CV Marathe on Saturday, has raised eyebrows, as many expected a conviction given the considerable evidence presented during the trial. The acquitted individuals are Rahul Pandey, Sanjay Chaudhary, Ramdas Malinge, Dr Umesh Deshpande, Maruti Wagh, Yogesh Ravinder Deshpande, Gururaj Taptewar, Milind Aktate, Mangesh Pandey, and Rakesh Dhaode.
The case revolved around the bomb blast that occurred on the night of April 5-6, 2006, which left a significant impact on the Patbandhare Nagar area. Despite the recovery of a live bomb from the site and multiple pieces of forensic evidence, including narco-analysis tests, the court did not find the evidence to be credible enough to secure a conviction.
Advocate Dalvi, representing the CBI as the public prosecutor, expressed disappointment at the verdict. “While we presented what we believed to be strong evidence, the court has ruled otherwise, citing insufficient grounds for conviction,” he remarked.
On the other hand, the defence lawyers, Advocate Pradkar and Advocate Nitin Runwal, celebrated the verdict, stating that the accused had been falsely implicated.
A total of 49 witness statements were recorded in the case, alongside chemical and narco analysis reports. Yet, Judge Marathe rejected all of these as insufficient to establish the guilt of the accused. “While certain pieces of evidence were presented, they did not meet the standards of reliability required for a conviction,” the court stated in its ruling.
The acquittal of the accused has added another chapter to the contentious history of the Nanded bomb blast case, leaving many puzzled over the outcome of one of Marathwada’s most high-profile trials.
