Give approver time to reconsider plea,says prosecution

Harshad Nimbalkar,special public prosecutor in Nayana Pujari gang-rape and murder case,on Monday,filed a reply in response to approver Rajesh Choudhary’s request to make him an accused. Nimalkar has requested the court to give Choudhary time to rethink his request and also consult his advocate.

Nimbalkar submitted to the court that Choudhary be given 24 hours time for reflection before the magistrate records his preliminary statement as an approver. Choudhary said in court that there was no inducement or threat from police or any person in authority for making the confession.

Nimbalkar,in his statement,said that police feel Choudhary’s confession was due to pressure from absconding accused Yogesh Raut.

Principal district and sessions judge Anant Badar,who is hearing the case,is likely to pass an order on the same on August 21.

Approver Choudhary along with absconding accused Raut,Mahesh Thakur and Vishwas Kadam,had allegedly kidnapped Pujari from a bus stop on Kharadi-Mundhwa bypass on the pretext of giving her a lift to Hadapsar and had gangraped and murdered her. The accused had also used her debit card for withdrawing over Rs 61,000 from ATMs.