Cops get govt nod to appeal against Patrawala murder case acquittal

After four youngsters who were accused of kidnapping and killing teenager Adnan Patrawala in 2007 were acquitted by a local court two months ago, the state government has now given its nod for the Mumbai Police to appeal against the verdict before the Bombay High Court.

"The Mumbai Police had sought the approval for filing an appeal against the trial court order in the Adnan Patrawala case. Around 10 days ago, instructions were passed for the government prosecutor to file the appeal before the High Court," Vijay Achliya, principal secretary of the state Law and Judiciary department told Newsline on Monday.

The Patrawala case was one of the many high-profile cases in which the Mumbai Police had failed to nail the alleged perpetrators in court. Following the verdict, serious note was taken of the setback by the force's top-brass. The Additional Commissioner of Police (West Region) was asked to study the court order and identify loopholes.

"After studying the court's order, we approached the Law and Judiciary department on whether it was a fit case for appeal," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rajnish Seth.

Sources claimed they were confident of a favourable verdict in the higher court, as "there was sufficient evidence on record to prove the role of the accused."

On January 30 this year, the Sessions Court let off Sujit Nair, Ayush Bhat, Rajeev Dharaiya and Amit Kausha — aged between 25 and 31— as the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. The fifth accused, a juvenile, is also being tried by the Juvenile Justice Board.

According to the prosecution, Patrawala, a 16-year-old son of a businessman in Andheri, was allegedly kidnapped by these five "friends" on August 19, 2007 after he went to meet them at the Inorbit Mall in Malad in his father's Skoda.

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