In a major embarrassment for former President Pratibha Patil, her brother has been named an accused in a murder case by a local court.
A court in Jalgoan, Maharashtra, named Gajendra Narayan Patil as an accused in the death of Vishram Patil.
Vishram Patil was allegedly hacked to death in September 2005. He was an English professor and was killed in Maharashtra.
The professor’s wife has reportedly alleged that the mastermind behind the her husband’s killing was former President’s brother.
Gajendrasing Patil was described by two people arrested by the police as the mastermind of the killing of Professor VG Patil of the Congress in Jalgaon, over 400 kilometres from Mumbai. His car was stoned and then he was stabbed to death. The death was widely believed to be a case of political rivalry.
Gajendra is former President’s younger brother. Along with him, former MLA Ulhas Patil has also been named as an accused in the case.
The Congress leader’s wife, Rajani Patil, has alleged that the former President’s brother was being shielded by the CBI, which was assigned to take over the case in 2007 by the Bombay High Court.
A few months before he was killed, Professor Patil had defeated the President’s brother in an important local election to head the District Congress Committee.
