CBI Court Acquits All Accused in 2006 Nimbalkar Murder Case

Eighteen years after the double murder of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar and his driver Samad Kazi, a special CBI court in Navi Mumbai has acquitted all nine defendants. The judge cited a total lack of evidence in the high-profile case, which had long implicated former NCP leader Padamsinh Patil.

Editorial·June 20, 2026·reads: 2,165

CBI Court Acquits All Accused in 2006 Nimbalkar Murder Case

The verdict brings a definitive end to a legal saga that began in June 2006, when Nimbalkar and Kazi were killed in the Kalamboli area. The investigation, eventually transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, resulted in the arrest and charging of nine individuals. Throughout the prolonged trial, the prosecution struggled to substantiate the allegations that led to the initial arrests.

Padamsinh Patil, now 86, appeared in court to receive the judgment. The proceedings were attended by the victim’s son, Omraje Nimbalkar, an MP representing Shiv Sena (UBT). While the acquittal marks a legal conclusion for the accused, the case remains a significant chapter in the political history of the region, given the prominence of the figures involved and the duration of the judicial process.