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Video creates a flutter in
Udayan murder case: PTI

Bhosale, former Maharashtra minister and thirteenth descendant of erstwhile Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji, is accused of killing Lehve in Satara on the eve of the state assembly elections on November 11 last year.

Lehve was a supporter of Udyanraje's uncle and NCP candidate Abhaysing Bhosale.

A piquant situation arose before the trial court in Satara last week, when the cassette was produced by the defence to demolish the evidence. It showed witness Sanjay Pawar visiting Udyanraje at a hospital and telling him that he had not witnessed the crime and that he had come to see him voluntarily.

Pawar had earlier stated in his evidence that Lehve was murdered in front of his house by the accused and his friends. He has also said that Udyanraje had dealt the first blow of the iron sword on the victim.

Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam objected to the production of the cassette and termed it as an attempt by the accused to tamper with evidence.

Additional sessions judge H G Kulkarni issued a show-cause notice to superintendent of police asking him to explain how the video was shot when a police squad was posted outside the hospital to guard the accused who has been remanded to judicial custody.

The police superintendent replied to the notice claiming that he and his department were not responsible because the cops were posted outside the hospital. The jail authorities or civil surgeon should be taken to task, he contended.

The court then issued a show-cause notice to the jail superintendent, who stated that he had no control over persons outside the jail. The cops guarding the accused should be held responsible, he insisted.

The next in line was the police surgeon, who replied that his job was to treat the accused and not to keep an eye on his visitors.

On a plea by defence lawyer Dharyashil Patil, the trial has been adjourned to December 4 as the accused, who is unwell, has been admitted to a government hospital in Satara.

The court declared that the trial will continue on a day-to-day basis from December 4 to 16.

Bhosale has been in custody since September 12 last year. Earlier, his plea for bail was turned down by the trial court as well as the high court.

The prosecution has examined two witnesses, while the third has partly deposed.

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