No narco test for the President’s brother

MUMBAI: In the murder case involving GN Patil, brother of President Pratibha Patil, the CBI on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that it cannot conduct narco-analysis on the two suspects in the case, namely Leeladhar Narkhede and Damodar Lokhande, until the Supreme Court decides on a bunch of petitions challenging the validity of such scientific tests.

On November 2, the CBI had told the court that narco-analysis would be conducted on the two. However, solicitor general Ghoolam Vahanvati said on Wednesday that until SC decided on these petitions, the CBI would not be able to probe the case any further.

On July 13, Vishram Patil’s widow Rajni Patil had moved the HC, urging it to direct the interrogation of GN Patil and Pratibha Patil, who was allegedly using her political clout to protect her brother in the case. As per her petition, GN Patil and Congressmen Ulhas Patil, Narkhede and Lokhande hired two hitmen, Raju Mali and Raju Sonavane, to kill Vishram. CBI investigations were inadequate, the petition contended.

Earlier, the court has said that the CBI need not seek permission from the court to conduct scientific tests on the suspects.