Nagpur: In a significant development in the high-profile Eknath Nimgade murder case, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) permission to file a closure report after eight years of investigation. The decision came following a hearing by Justice Vinay Joshi and Justice Abhay Mantri, who accepted the CBI’s request due to insufficient evidence to implicate any suspects.
Architect Eknath Nimgade (76) was fatally shot on September 6, 2016, while returning from his morning walk near Lal Imli Square on Central Avenue in Nagpur. Early investigations hinted at a possible motive involving a dispute over a 5.5-acre plot on Wardha Road, a prime property valued at over Rs 200 crore. Despite thorough efforts, the CBI was unable to link any individuals definitively to the crime.
Today’s Rate
Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
The victim’s son, Anupam Nimgade, had filed a petition in the High Court, calling for an expedited investigation and alleging that the CBI mishandled the probe. He also requested the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure a comprehensive investigation. In response to Anupam’s petition, the High Court had previously directed the CBI to submit periodic progress reports. However, in the recent hearing, the CBI affirmed that no solid evidence could be uncovered, leading them to seek permission to close the case.
Nagpur Police’s 2021 claims dismissed by CBI
Adding to the controversy, in March 2021, then-Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar held a press conference claiming that the murder had been solved. He described it as a “supari killing” orchestrated by 15 criminals from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, allegedly to seize Nimgade’s valuable property. According to Kumar, a gang led by notorious criminal Ranjit Safelkar had accepted a Rs 5 crore contract, with Rs 1.75 crore paid in advance. Despite these claims, the CBI later dismissed this theory, finding no substantial basis in the Nagpur Police’s version of events, raising further questions about the initial investigation.
What a closure report means:
A closure report is filed under Sections 189 and 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code when investigators cannot find sufficient evidence or identify any accused in a case. While this marks an official end to the CBI’s involvement in the Nimgade murder case, the family continues to seek justice, leaving lingering questions over whether new leads might ever surface in this unresolved tragedy.
With the High Court’s approval, the CBI will now present its closure report to the special court, bringing an official pause to one of Nagpur’s most challenging murder investigations.
