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Mahajan may be operated on Monday

       Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan is likely to be operated on Monday morning to remove the pads, after his bleeding from liver has reduced "significantly". The surgery will be performed by doctors at the P.D. Hinduja Hospital where he is admitted. Mahajan, who was shot by his brother Pravin continues to remain on the life support system. Showing further signs of improvement and regaining consciousness, Pramod Mahajan responded to his son's words and passed him a smile on Sunday afternoon. "The condition of Pramod Mahajan has slightly improved, but still remains quite critical and he is on life support measures in the Intensive Care Unit," said Dr Anupam Verma, Director (Administration), Hinduja Hospital. Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh also visited Hinduja Hospital to meet the party General Secretary.

     Meanwhile, Pravin Mahajan, was today produced before the magistrate at a local court in Bhoiwada area of Dadar and his police custody has been extended till April 29. His extension for remand was sought by the police who wanted to have a sustained interrogation to know the exact motive behind Pravin's act of crime. The police is yet to record the statement of Rekha Mahajan, wife of Pramod Mahajan and the prime witness in the case. Pravin has been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and Section 450 of the IPC (criminal trespass) by the police. Nandkumar Rajurkar, lawyer of Pravin today made an appeal to magistrate that his client be put under medical observation for seven days and only after that the interrogation be carried. However the court rejected Rajurkar's request and send him to police custody. On Saturday, after surrendering, Pravin in his statement made to the police said that he shot Mahajan in a fit of rage as he was ill-treated by his brother.

     According to the report, Pravin came to his brother's flat at Poornima building in Pochkhandwala Road in Worli area of Central Mumbai, and opened fire at him between 8 a.m. and 8.55 (IST) after an argument over some property dispute. Pramod sustained three bullet shots - on his right hand, abdomen and stomach. However, it still remains unclear that why Praveen shot his elder brother. According to police, the initial confession by the accused was indicating a long-standing animosity between the siblings could have led to the shootout. Interestingly, Praveen's lawyer Nandkumar Rajirkar, claimed that his client was mentally unsound and was suffering from depression. But Mumbai Police Commissioner, A.N. Roy refuted the claim, saying that the police are not aware of any mental ailment that he was suffering from. "We did not feel that he was mentally ill. He (Praveen Mahajan) has talked to the police in a very normal way," Roy said. According to sources, Police also has questioned Pravin Mahajan's wife in this regard. Pravin Mahajan, a Thane-based builder, is the youngest of three brothers and two sisters. Pramod is the eldest.