High Court raps CBI as daylight crime goes undetected for years

 

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has examined 120 witnesses during the investigaton of the 2016 murder of architect Eknath Nimgade, but the case remained unsolved for more than eight years. While accepting the closure report filed by the CBI, Justice Vinay Joshi and Justice Abhay Mantri commented that it is unfortunate that daylight crime has gone undetected for years together. This court has shown indulgence and monitored the investigation to bring the matter to its logical end, but in vain. Eknath Nimgade was shot dead on September 6, 2016, during a morning walk at Gandhi Bagh Garden in Nagpur. Gunmen riding a black scooter ambushed him, firing several bullets. Nimgade, who was allegedly involved in a land dispute, succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack. His son, Anupam Nimgade, a 37-year-old advocate, filed a petition seeking a thorough investigation into the murder. The case was initially handled by the Tehsil Police, but due to a lack of progress, it was transferred to the CBI in October 2016. According to reports filed in court, the agency seized various materials, including bank statements, CCTV footage, and forensic evidence.

 

However, despite these efforts, the CBI has failed to establish a clear link to any suspects or produce enough evidence to move forward with charges. They even recorded statements of 120 witnesses during the investigation. The petitioner, Anupam Nimgade, expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, urging that the case be transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or a Commission of Inquiry. However, the court found no merit in his request, emphasising that the CBI had conducted a thorough investigation and had submitted comprehensive status reports over the years, with no substantial evidence to justify continuing the probe.

 

The Bombay High Court, while acknowledging the frustration of the petitioner, stated that despite the efforts of the CBI and the police, the case had not yielded any conclusive evidence. The court also noted that the investigation had been extensively monitored, with multiple reports filed to track progress. In its final status report filed in March 2024, the CBI informed the court that despite examining over 120 witnesses and following all possible leads, they had failed to uncover any clues that could lead to the identification of the assailants or reveal the motive behind the murder. As a result, the CBI has requested permission to file a closure report, effectively closing the investigation without charging anyone.