The noose is tightening around Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, over four years after he allegedly hunted a blackbuck and two hares in Haryana using his daughter’s licensed gun.
Investigators have presented the retainer’s license of film actor Soha Ali Khan, daughter of Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore, photographs of carcasses, ballistic report of the two guns used in the crime, a CD in which the accused identified the spot where they shot the animal, the Gypsy which was used in the crime and its registration certificate, the statement of a former wildlife official who was part of the committee formed by Haryana police to examine the carcasses and 27 other witness named by the prosecution.
Prosecution team members say the local police managed to collect vital evidence pointing to Tiger’s involvement and seven others.
“We have started examination of the 28 witnesses. It is going to be a long process, but we can assure that we are tightening the noose around Pataudi. We have examined Attar Singh, a retired wildlife official and part of the committee constituted to investigate the deaths,” said Saurabh Sharma from the prosecution team.
Pataudi was caught with seven others on June 3, 2005, during a random check by Jhajjar police while they were returning after hunting the animals.
The police recovered carcasses of animals from the car but Pataudi surrendered before a magistrate only on June 17, after the court denied him anticipatory bail. He was in police custody for two days and released on bail on June 20.
Both weapons were in working condition. Haryana police even conducted raids in Delhi to get the registration certificate of the vehicle used in the crime. “The car used in the crime was in the name of SRK Travels and we have the necessary papers to prove it,” Sharma said.
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