Pramod Mahajan’s son Rahul immerses his father’s ashes in the Godavari in Nashik on Monday. (PTI)

Mumbai, May 8: Normal or mentally unsound? Let a shrink decide.

Praveen Mahajan’s lawyer Nandkumar Rajurkar today said his client would move Bombay High Court to seek permission for psychiatric tests on the 45-year-old, in jail since his fatal shooting of his brother Pramod Mahajan.

Within two hours of the April 22 assault, Rajurkar had claimed that Praveen was mentally unsound and required psychiatric treatment. But despite repeated pleas, magistrate R.T. Bagade had directed Praveen to undergo normal medical check-ups.

“Since the magistrate has repeatedly turned down my plea, we would move Bombay High Court in June when it reopens after summer vacation. We expect to file the writ by June second week,” Rajurkar said.

“It is important to know Praveen’s state of mind? his personal history, his mental history, his economic history, his habits, his sexual history, etc.”

Police commissioner Anami Roy and joint commissioner Arup Patnaik have said Praveen had replied to questions in a rational manner. But Rajurkar claimed it is impossible to determine if a person is a schizophrenic by asking him general questions.

“Just because he can answer general questions well does not make him mentally sound.

“If I say I have tuberculosis, won’t you check my blood, get my x-rays and test my sputum? Similarly, you have to conduct a full range of psychiatric tests before you determine someone to be mentally sound,” Rajurkar said, adding that the Indian Lunacy Act had provisions to conduct such tests.

He also said as Pramod Mahajan had not given a dying declaration, it could help Praveen’s cause.

“The ultimate truth will always be hidden now since Pramodji could not give a first-hand account of what exactly transpired between the two brothers. This will certainly have an impact on the case,” he said.

Rajurkar’s assertion came on a day a report said the three bullets extracted from the slain BJP leader’s body were those fired by Praveen from his imported Browning, according to PTI.

Worli police sources said the report was a vital evidence in the case.