Udayanraje trial begins amidst tight security

Ironically, Sataraites say, the ancestors of Udayanraje had constructed the spacious Juna Rajwada in 1870s. The building was leased to the Maharashtra Government after Independence. The lease ends this year.

Elaborate security arrangements had been made in and around the court and elsewhere in the city. The district administration issued prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons and possession of weapons. All the roads in the vicinity of the court were barricaded since early morning. Entry inside the court building was restricted to only those people who were linked with the trial. Policemen were frisking all those entering the courtroom. Metal detectors were also being used. Besides, some armed policemen were deployed inside the courtroom.

Notwithstanding the stepped up security, a large crowed had gathered outside the court building since morning. District superintendent of police Ramrao Pawar said a DSP, two deputy superintendent of police, seven inspectors, 16 sub-inspectors and 210 constables have been deployed on security arrangements. A company of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) has also been summoned.

Special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam told The Indian Express the security was beefed up as precautionary measure. “The case is a challenge for me in the sense that a lot of threats have been given to the witnesses. The entire city is under a spell of terror. At least seven witnesses have been provided with police protection after they lodged complaints saying they were receiving threats,” he said.

However, defence counsels D V Jadhav, Shrikant Shivde and Girish Kulkarni claimed that the life in Satara was normal. “There has been no terror, whatsoever. If there was any terror at all, it was of the police,” they alleged.

Things suddenly fell quiet as Udayanraje’s 14 alleged accomplices were produced in the court just a few minutes after 11.15 am. Rajmata Kalpanaraje Bhosale arrived in the court just after that. Minutes later, Udayanraje walked into the court. All the accused stood up as he walked inside the court and took his designated place. All the accused wore spotless white khadi kurta-pyjamas and had applied tilaks of sandalwood paste on their forehead.

Prosecution witness number 1, Vijay Jadhav, who is the complainant in the case and claims to be the eye-witness to the murder, deposed before the court today. He narrated the entire episode in elaborate detail and identified the accused. Jadhav claimed Levhe was travelling in his jeep along with three others when he was attacked in Vadargalli area around 2.30 am on September 11, 1999. He alleged that the killers dragged Levhe out of his car and attacked him with swords, sticks and an iron rod. He also alleged that Udayanraje, who was present at the spot, asked Levhe as to why the latter was campaigning for Abhaysinhraje Bhosale who was Udayanraje’s rival candidate for the State Legislative Assembly polls. He claimed that he was also attacked and threatened.

When Jadhav was shown three swords, an iron rod and some sticks, he said the weapons looked like the weapons used to attack Levhe. During cross-examination, Jadhav admitted that he had taken a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh from Ajinkya Sahakari Bank a few months ago. He also claimed that his mother and wife had also taken loans of Rs 25,000 each from the same bank. He said that he was aware that the bank was associated with the Ajinkyatara Co-operative Sugar Factory, which was founded by Udayanraje’s uncle and political rival Abhaysinhraje Bhosale.