Overview

• Vilas Balaram Pawar, also known as Raju Chikana, was acquitted by a Mumbai sessions court in a 1991 attempted murder case due to insufficient evidence.
• The case involved an alleged gang-related shooting of Shaukat Ali Ahamadali in Govandi, reportedly tied to an extortion dispute.
• Pawar had been absconding for 29 years after being granted bail in 1994 but was rearrested by police on January 3, 2025.
• During the trial, neither the victim nor his wife, both key witnesses, could identify Pawar or the weapon used in the crime.
• The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove Pawar's identity and involvement beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to his acquittal.