CBI reconstructs Nimbalkar's murder

After three years, it was action-replay at Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai. The CBI, investigating the murder of the Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, reconstructed the sequence of events leading to his death in June 2006.

Nimbalkar was killed while travelling in his Skoda car by assailants who were in another car. Their attempt was to find out if those arrested for the crime are lying.

To re enact the sequence of events the CBI bought two cars -- a Skoda and an Indica. First the Indica followed the Skoda and then overtook it. One of the two men in the Indica asked the driver of the Skoda car to roll down his windows.

The Skoda driver spoke to the person acting as Nimbalkar who rolled down his window and was instantly shot.

The assailant then runs back to the Indica which speeds towards the Mumbai Pune Highway.

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and MP from Osmanabad, Padamsinh Patil, was arrested by the CBI in connection with the murder. Soon after Nimbalkar's murder, fingers had been pointed at Patil but he had then denied the allegations.

Unhappy with the investigation, Nimbalkar's wife had moved the Bombay High Court and had the case transferred to the CBI.

Two of the accused arrested -- the alleged hitman Parasmal Jain and Dombivali corporator Mohan Shukla -- had named Patil as the main conspirator and alleged that he ordered the contract killing.