Vishram Patil murder case

The Vishram Patil murder case gained national attention in India when the widow of the murder victim accused Pratibha Patil, the presidential nominee of the United Progressive Alliance, of shielding her brother, G. N. Patil, in relation to it.

G. N. Patil was nominated by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee to be president of the District Congress Committee of Jalgaon in 2004. In 2005, an election by secret ballot was held for the position. He contested the election but lost to his opponent, V. G. Patil, by 13 votes.

V. G. Patil was a professor of English in a Jalgaon college that was affiliated to the North Maharashtra University. After his election, he instituted an enquiry into misappropriation of funds collected for felicitation of Pratibha Patil and for tsunami relief. On 21 September 2005, he was murdered near his house in broad daylight. The local police arrested two alleged assailants, Raju Mali and Raju Sonawane, but were then instructed by officials in Mumbai to transfer the case to the CID. In a letter to the police, Patil's widow, Rajani Patil, accused Ulhas Patil, a former Indian National Congress Member of Parliament from Jalagaon, and G. N. Patil as conspirators.

In February 2007 the Aurangabad bench of Mumbai High Court acted on a petition from Rajani Patil, directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the probe from the CID. The judge stated in his ruling that:

We have scrutinized the entire record with the help of counsel for both sides. We have considered the chequered history of the present case, the developments which have taken place after filing of chargesheet, issues involved, and the reference to alleged conspiracy by the influential political leaders of the region. Having regard to the importance of issues involved and the alleged complicity of the influential political leaders referred to in paragraphs no. 3 and 4 of the petition, in our considered opinion, this is a fit case where the investigation should be conducted by the CBI.

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