Nayana Pujari case: Accused may be framed in Vishakha Mandal case

The district court is likely to frame charges against Yogesh Raut, the prime accused in kidnap, gang rape and murder of software techie Nayana Pujari, in gang rape of vegetable vendor Vishakha Mandal soon.

Raut had revealed his alleged involvement in the gang rape of Mandal prior to Nayana’s murder when he was subjected to narco test after his arrest in Nayana Pujari case. The Vishakha Mandal gang rape case is scheduled to come up for hearing on July 8.

When Raut was produced before special judge Sadhana Shinde for hearing in Nayana Pujari case on Monday, the judge was heard telling the prosecutor and the defence lawyer that Raut’s rearrest may facilitate charge framing in the Mandal case too. Raut was produced in the court for the hearing on Monday noon on basis of a production warrant issued by the judge. The other accused in the case, Mahesh Thakur and Vishwas Kadam, as well as approver Rajesh Chaudhari were also produced in the court for the hearing.

The proceedings in the Nayana Pujari case were on in absence of Raut, who had escaped from the custody in September 2011 and 12 witnesses have been examined in the case so far. Special public prosecutor Harshad Nimbalkar moved an application after Raut was rearrested asking for recalling three prosecution witnesses. Lawyer BA Aloor, representing Raut, has asked for time to cross-examine the 12 witnesses.