No bullet injury on man ’shot’ by Rane’s son: Forensic report

MUMBAI - No bullet injury mark has been found on a man allegedly shot at by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane’s son Nitesh Rane but an injury from a sharp-edged weapon cannot be ruled out, a police official said Monday, citing the forensic reports.

“According to forensic reports, there is no bullet injury. But injury from a sharp weapon cannot be ruled out,” the official of the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch said.

Nitesh has been accused of shooting at Shamim Jamaluddin Shaikh alias Chintoo, a member of his NGO Swabhiman Sanghatana. The case was transferred to the crime branch Saturday.

Nisar Tamboli, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), however, refused to comment on the issue.

“I can neither confirm nor deny the development. We have got the case only Saturday and cannot reveal information bit by bit,” he said.

Shaikh alleged that Nitesh’s goons assaulted him when he had gone to meet the NGO chief at his Khar office Sep 23 and he somehow managed to escape alive.

He said he had sustained an injury when the bullet grazed his right cheek as he jumped out of the office window. He had admitted himself in Hiranandani Hospital at Powai.

A day after the incident, the Hiranandani Hospital authorities had also said, quoting preliminary medical reports, that the victim had not sustained any bullet injury.

Shaikh later met Home Minister R.R. Patil and complained that there was no progress in the matter and sought his intervention.

Shaikh was a member of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) before he joined Nitesh Rane’s NGO a few months ago.