Mahajan case: Defence points out loopholes

The defence in the Pramod Mahajan murder trial on Thursday pointed out discrepancies in the statement of a person who allegedly sold the pistol that was used by Pravin Mahajan to murder the Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

During the cross-examination of Hanif Tahirali alias Bandukwala who sold the gun to Pravin, it was revealed that the statement recorded on May 12 last year was dated April 12, 2006, which made it prior to the commission of the crime.

Defence lawyer Harshad Ponda asked Bandukwala why he signed the statement if the date was wrong, to which the latter replied that it was a mistake and could be a typographical error on the part of police.

The defence further said the seal of the senior police inspector who certified the statement a day after it was recorded showed the date as April 13, 2006.

Ponda alleged the prosecution was manipulating the evidence.

The judge too said typographical errors were understandable but asked how the seal could be wrongly dated.

In his deposition, Bandukwala said he had sold the F N Browning 0.32-bore pistol and 50 bullets to the accused Pravin on July 7, 1999 for Rs 24,310.

He identified the gun and the invoices and bills related to it before Additional Sessions Judge S P Davare, who is hearing the case.

Mahajan was allegedly shot by Pravin on April 22, 2006. The prosecution also examined city BJP general secretary Atul Bhatkalkar, who appeared as a spot witness when the post-mortem doctor in Hinduja Hospital explained the injuries suffered by Mahajan.