SATARA, OCT 21: Prosecution witness Sanjay Pawar, who claims to be an eyewtiness to the murder of NCP leader Sharad Lehve, today created ripples in the courtroom when he said his words in a video cassette, shot during his meeting with prime accused Udayanraje Bhosale at the Satara Civil Hospital, were not true and that he had made these statements under duress.Hearing of the case, which has been going on before Additional Sessions Judge S G Kulkarni since October 16, has been adjourned until November 7 in view of the Diwali vacations.Pawar's cross-examination by Defense Council D M Jagtap, which was deferred after the witness complained that he was not well, concluded today. Immediately after Jagtap excused Pawar, Special Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam asked for the court's permission to re-examine him in connection with the video cassette, which was screened in the court on Thursday, and evidence brought on record by the defence lawyers about loans obtained by Pawar from Ajinkyatara Co-operative Bank.At this juncture, Judge Kulkarni asked the witness what was it that he wanted to submit on Thursday when he was not allowed to make any submission since he had not been asked a question. It was then that Pawar said, ``whatever I said in the cassette recording was false and I have said the same out of fear.''The defence lawyers were allowed to cross-examine Pawar after he replied. During cross-examination by Dhairyasheel Patil, Pawar admitted that he had deposed true facts before the court till the time the video cassette was screened. He also admitted that he had deposed before the court on Wednesday that he had voluntarily gone to meet Udayanraje and that he was alone when he went to the civil hospital.Replying to a question by Shrikant Shivde, Pawar admitted that he occasionally lied and felt uneasy about it. He also admitted that he was not under pressure while deposing before the court.During his re-examination by Nikam, Pawar alleged that Udayanraje, who has been named as accused No 1 in the charge sheet filed by the State CID, threatened to kill him if he dared to disclose that his visit to the hospital had been video-taped. He alleged that apart from the people featuring in the cassette, Sachin Shirke, Jitu Khanvilkar, Vijay Chaugule and a cameraman were present in the room at the time.Pawar said he was afraid because he had seen Udayanraje killing Lehve and there was nobody to support him inside the hospital room at that time. He reiterated that he had taken a loan from Ajinkyatara Co-operative Bank for masonry work, which is to be repaid in 36 monthly installments of Rs. 1,000 each. He said the first installment was due on October 11.Patil and Shivde cross-examined him again after the re-examination was over. During the cross-examination, he admitted that he had not lodged any complaint till date about Udayanraje's threat. He said that the Ajinkyatara co-operative bank was charging him interest at the rate of 18 per cent on the loan he had taken.
