Mumbai: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court has directed the state government to deposit Rs 60 lakh in the high court registry after observing that the state has failed in discharging its responsibility of finding a man who is missing since last 13 years.
A division bench of Justice T.V. Nalawade and K.V. Waldane was hearing a criminal writ petition filed by wife of Gangadhar Patil who is missing since 13 years.
Mr Gangadhar was in the business of collecting cotton from farmers and selling it to a co-operative society running a spin yarn.
Vithal Gaikwad, MLA of Gangakhed was the director of one of the co-operative society. And amount of Rs 53 lakh was allegedly due from the society to Mr Gangadhar.
Mr Gangadhar had written letters and alleged that Mr Gaikwad owed him the money, however the latter created a false record and started claiming that he had paid the amount. On May 2005 Mr Gangadhar left home to meet Amrutraj Maharaj and did not return.
Mr Maharaj had told the investigators that he had dropped Mr Gangadhar on the doorstep of Mr Gaikwad but police did not ask MLA Vitthal Gaikwad about Mr Gangadhar. The letters written by Mr Gangadhar disclosed that Mr Gaikwad had threatened to kill him and they were claiming that nothing was due from Mr Gaikwad to Mr Gangadhar.
On July 16, 2018 the court perused the investigation report of the sub-divisional police officer, Degloor, Aurangabad and held that the police expressed its helplessness in tracing the missing man.
The court also observed that many directions were given by the high court, but still state didn't look seriously in the investigation. Therefore the court directed the state to deposit Rs 60 lakh in the high court within 30 days.
