PTI

Mumbai, Jan 23: Sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his elder brother Pramod Mahajan, Pravin has said in his appeal before the Bombay High Court that the senior BJP leader was being blackmailed by his secretary Vivek Moitra.

Pravin was sentenced by a sessions court last month and he has filed an appeal in the High Court.

A part of his deposition - dealing with sequence of events at Pramod's residence before Pravin shot him - was recorded in-camera.

In the appeal, Pravin has said he went to meet Pramod on the morning of April 22, 2006 as he wanted to tell him that his secretary Vivek Moitra should not blackmail him (Pramod).

The appeal does not say why and how Moitra blackmailed Pramod. It only says Moitra "in all probability was blackmailing Pramod".

Pramod did not say anything when Pravin asked him as to how Moitra came to know about the BJP leader's relationship with one Alaknanda, the appeal says.

"This prompted Pravin to say that Pramod was a fit candidate for blackmail," the appeal added.

Then, according to Pravin, Pramod made certain remarks about the former's wife Sarangi. Pravin felt there was no use discussing the matter further, so he picked up the pistol lying on teapot and was ready to leave.

Pramod however feared he wanted to do something, so he tried to grab the pistol, and shots were fired accidentally in the ensuing scuffle, the appeal says.