Eight years after architect Eknath Nimgade (76), was shot dead in broad daylight, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has failed to solve the murder case. The Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a closure report in the high-profile Eknath Nimgade murder case, citing a lack of concrete evidence linking any suspect to the crime. The decision was made during a hearing before Justice Vinay Joshi and Justice Abhay Mantri on Wednesday. In its submission, the CBI informed the court that despite an extensive investigation, it had been unable to gather sufficient evidence to establish the involvement of any person in the murder. As a result, the agency sought permission to close the case, which the court approved. The murder occurred on September 6, 2016, when architect Eknath Nimgade was shot five times while returning home after a morning walk near Lal Imli square on Central Avenue.

 

Initial investigations suggested that the motive behind the killing might be linked to a dispute over a 5.5 acre plot of land on Wardha road. In response to the CBI’s findings, Nimgade’s son, Anupam Nimgade, had filed a petition in the High Court and urged for a speedy resolution of the case. Anupam had previously accused the CBI of mishandling the investigation and failing to take the necessary steps to bring the culprits to justice. He also requested the formation of a special team to conduct a more thorough investigation into the case. In earlier hearings, the High Court had directed the investigation officer, Jitendra Kachare, to submit a progress report. Following the report, the court had granted an additional month for further investigation. However, despite these efforts, the CBI was unable to establish a definitive connection between the crime and any accused persons and sought permission for closure.

 

 

While the CBI was investigating the case, the then Commissioner of Police (CP) Amitesh Kumar held a press conference on March 18, 2021, where he claimed to have solved the case. He described the case as a “supari killing” and alleged that 15 notorious goons and sharp-shooters from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh were involved in the crime. According to the former CP, Nagpur-based criminals had promised a Rs 5 crore ‘supari’ to the killers and had already paid Rs 1.75 crore as an advance. These goons were reportedly eyeing Nimgade’s prime property, valued at over Rs 200 crore. The notorious gangster Ranjit Safelkar was said to have received the contract and enlistedenlisting another criminal, Sharad alias Kalu Hate, to carry out the murder. However, the claims made by the then CP were later dismissed by the CBI, which did not find the Nagpur Police’s theory credible. As a result, the CBI filed a closure report. This has raised doubts about the veracity of the Nagpur Police’s claims and left the question of whether the police really solved the murder case or not still unanswered.