Pintu Shirke murder case: Eight dreaded goons awarded lifer

• Shirke was brutally murdered in broad day-light on sixth floor of Nyay Mandir premises 11 years ago and it was fall-out of a bitter property dispute 

By Dheeraj Fartode

Accused in Pintu Shirke murder case

Eight dreaded criminals including gangster Raju Bhadre  were sentenced to life imprisonment in the sensational murder of Swapnil alias Pintu Shirke who was stabbed to death on six floor of District court premises in 2002. The verdict in this case was keenly awaited as names of notorious criminals, land mafia and doyens of organised crime were involved in commission of offence.

Amidst tight security, Sessions Judge S D Jugmalani on Friday awarded lifer to eight dreaded goons of city. However, the court acquitted six persons for lack of evidence. One accused Sachin Gawande was murdered this year and another accused Raju Gaikwad still at large.

Accused Vijay Kisan Mate; Umesh Sampat Dahake; Ritesh Hiraman Gawande, Kiran Umrao Kaithe; Kamlesh Sitaram Nimarte; Dinesh Devidas Gaiki; Raju Vithal Bhadre; Ayub Amir Khan are convicted by the court for life holding them squarely responsible for murder, hatching criminal conspiracy and acting in furtherance of common intention. The murder itself was outcome of bitter property dispute and earlier bloodshed.

The court acquitted Mangesh Shivaji Chavan; Mayur Shivaji Chavan; Pandurang Motiram Injewar; Rajesh Dayaram Kadoo; Mahesh Damodhar Bante; Sandip Nilkanth Sanas; Maroti alias Navva, Santosh Walake are acquitted.

All the 17 accused were charged under section 147, 148, 149, 186, 120 (b), 332, 353, 307, 302, 34 of Indian Penal Code read with section 235 (1) of CrPC, section 25 of Arms Act and section 135 of Bombay Police Act.

The prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Adv Jyoti Wajani submitted a near water-proof case along with 58 evidence including three Guptis (small knife) and three knifes before the court. The prosecution examined 39 witnesses. However, 14 witnesses turned hostile including a police constable Deepak Trivedi. Defence lawyer as usual claimed that police falsely implicated the accused in the case.

The incident occurred on July 19, 2002 on the sixth floor of District court, when Pintu arrived in the court to appear in the court regarding the incident of firing on Vijay Mate.

Vijay Mate’s grandfather was servant of Raje Raghuji Bhonsle and was living in the room at Chhota Tajbag area. The room was constructed by Raje Raghuji for their servants. Vijaya, mother of Pintu and complainant of the case, was also present in the court hall along with her daughter Shefali and two friends of Pintu. Vijay Mate and his 15 associates attacked Pintu with sharped edged weapons and killed him on sixth floor of the court in full public view.

Accused in Pintu Shirke murder case

According to prosecution, father of Swapnil alias Pintu Shirke was the nephew of Rani Annapurnadevi Raje Bhonsle. Annapurnadevi expired in the year 1998. According to will executed by Rani Annapurnadevi, Dilip Shirke, Uday Shirke and Ranjit Shirke all became the absolute owner of 21 acres of land situated at Chhota Tajabag, Sakkardara area.

There were rooms constructed by Raje Raghujirao Bhonsle for servants at the land and grandfather of accused Vijay Mate was servant of Raje Bhonsale. Mate was residing in that room.

Pintu Shirke and his uncle Ranjit Shirke decided to develop a scheme on the 21 acres of land on March 11, 2001. Marriage of Pintu was solemnized at Jalgaon. On March 11, 2001, Shirke family along with Pintu had gone to Jalgaon. They returned on March 13, 2001 and were shocked to see that Vijay Mate had encroached the area admeasuring 7,000 sq ft in front of his room and had also constructed compound wall thereon.

Mate was infuriated as he believed that Pintu Shirke had falsely implicated him in a petty matter. On July 18, 2001, some unknown person fired gunshots at Vijay Mate. Mate lodged a complaint against Pintu Shirke blaming his conspirator. On September 8, 2001, some unknown persons murdered Sanjay Gaikwad and Vijay Mate falsely implicated Pintu and therefore, Pintu was arrested.

Accused in Pintu Shirke murder case

On June 4, 2002, Pintu was released on conditional bail for four days by High Court to attend his sister’s marriage. On July 5, 2002, Jitu Gawande and his three associates attempted to commit murder of Pintu Shirke by opening fire towards him. Shirke got injured in the attack and case against Jitu Gawande and his three associates registered in the Rana Pratap Nagar police station.

On July 19, 2002 Pintu was to appear in firing case. Vijaya Shirke along with her daughter Shefali and two friends of Pintu reached the court on 6th floor around 10.30 am. Meanwhile, Vijaya noticed that Vijay Mate and his 8 to 10 associates were present in the court hall. Vijaya suspected that some unwanted thing may happen, therefore, she called Sakkardara police station and informed that some unwanted thing may be happen. She requested the police officer to provide security to Pintu. However, the police officer informed her that the premises falls under Sadar police station and therefore, she should ask Sadar police station. As she did not have phone number of Sadar police station, she started writing application to Sadar police station.

Around 11.15 am, there was commotion and Vijaya saw that Vijay Mate and his 15 associates started assaulting her son Pintu with Sharp edged weapons. Pintu fell down on the ground. Constable Deepak Trivedi and accused Pappu Malvia tried to rescue Pintu however, the accused assaulted them also.

Mother of Pintu, sister and his friends rushed to save Pintu but, three to four assailants were ran towards them with intention to eliminate them as well, therefore they ran for their life.

Pintu was rushed to the Mure Memorial Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Adv Jyoti Wajani, Adv Girish Dubey and Adv Asif Qureshi represent the prosecution. Crime Branch PI P K Nitnawre was the investigation officer of the case. A battery of lawyers including Senior Advocates Subodh Dharmadhikari, Majid Memon, Adv Chandrashekhar Jaltare, Adv R B Gaikwad, Adv R K Tiwari, and others represented the accused persons.