J Dey murder case verdict: Chhota Rajan guilty, punishment today; updates

Chhota Rajan was reportedly upset with journalist J Dey's negative reports on his health and his diminishing clout in the underworld

The Jyotirmoy Dey murder case neared its end on Wednesday with a Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court convicting mafia don Rajendra S Nikhalje, alias Chhota Rajan, and eight others guilty of the sensational murder of the journalist in 2011. MCOCA court sentenced gangster Chhota Rajan and seven others to life imprisonment in journalist Jyotirmay Dey murder case. Journalist Jigna Vora, a co-accused charged with conspiracy, was acquitted.

Judge Sameer Adkar also acquitted Paulson Joseph, who was accused of handling the financial operations concerned with the conspiracy.

Dey, 56, was shot by two motorcycle-borne men on June 11, 2011, in suburban Powai while on his way home. At that time, he worked as a senior editor for the tabloid Mid Day. According to the prosecution, the killing was carried out at the behest of Rajan, who was purportedly 'unhappy' with the negative reports Dey had been writing on his health and his diminishing clout in the underworld.

A total of 12 persons were arrested in the case, including Rajan, Satish Joseph (alias Satish Kaliya), the shooter, and Vora. One of the accused, Vinod Asrani, died after prolonged illness in 2015, pending trial.

The accused were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to murder (302), criminal conspiracy (120(b)) and destruction of evidence (204), and under provisions of the stringent MCOCA and the Arms Act.

Here are the top ten developments in the J Dey murder case verdict and sentencing:

1) Chhota Rajan sentenced for life: MCOCA court on Wednesday sentenced gangster Chhota Rajan and seven others to life imprisonment in journalist Jyotirmay Dey murder case.

2) Chhota Rajan, 8 others convicted in J Dey murder case: Gangster Chhota Rajan and eight others were convicted by a Special MCOCA court in Mumbai for killing senior journalist Jyotirmoy Dey in 2011. This is the first major conviction for Rajan since he was deported to India following his arrest at Bali airport in Indonesia in 2015. Earlier last year, Rajan was convicted by a court in Delhi and sentenced to seven years imprisonment in a case of fake passports.

Besides Rajan, the others convicted in the case are Satish Kaliya, Anil Waghmode, Abhijit Shinde, Nilesh Shendge, Arun Dake, Mangesh Agawane, Sachin Gaikwad, and Deepak Sisodia.

3) What did Rajan have to say about the outcome? When the judge read out the verdict and asked the gangster if he wanted to say anything, Rajan, who was witnessing the proceedings from New Delhi's Tihar jail via video conferencing, said "theek hai" (alright).

4) Jigna Vora, Paulson Joseph acquitted: A co-accused, journalist Jigna Vora, who was charged with conspiracy, has been acquitted in the case. Vora broke down in the court soon after her acquittal was announced by the judge.

According to the prosecution, Vora had been in constant touch with Rajan before the incident.

The CBI charge sheet claimed that Vora complained to Rajan about Dey, and instigated him to execute the conspiracy to kill him. She was out on bail during the pendency of the trial.

The judge also acquitted Paulson Joseph, who was accused of handling the financial operations concerned with the conspiracy.

5) Defence says case not 'rarest of rare': Defence advocates urged the court to show leniency towards the convicts on several grounds, including their age and the fact that some of them had young children or ailing parents to take care of. They also argued that the present case could not fall into the category of the 'rarest of rare' -- an essential factor to warrant the death penalty under IPC Section 302.

6) Prosecution says court must send out 'strong message' while sentencing: Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, however, argued that 'rarest of rare' or not, the fact remained that the nine persons had been convicted under Section 302 and faced either the death penalty or life imprisonment. He said the court, while sentencing them, must keep in mind that it needed to send out a "strong message".

"The victim was a journalist and represented the fourth pillar of our democracy. A journalist was attacked for doing his job, and a stringent note must be taken of this fact by the court. A strong message needs to be sent out to the public," Gharat said.

Chronology of events in the J Dey murder case

April 3, 2018: The defence completes its arguments. The special MCOCA court reserves its judgement in case till May 2.

April 2, 2018: The court records Rajan's final statement under section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Rajan produced before the court from Tihar jail via video conference link.

February 22, 2018: The prosecution completes its final arguments.

August 31, 2017: The special MCOCA court frames charges against Rajan.

November 7, 2016: Dey's wife Shubha Sharma deposes before the court, tells he was tensed since a week before the killing.

January 5, 2016: The case transferred to the CBI.

October 25, 2015: Rajan arrested at Bali in Indonesia and deported to India. Later, lodged at Tihar Jail in Delhi.

June 8, 2015: The court frames charges against 11 accused under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections of 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention), along with relevant provisions of the MCOCA and the Arms Act.

April 10, 2015: Asrani dies in jail after prolonged illness.

July 27, 2012: Vora gets bail.

February 21, 2012: A supplementary charge sheet filed against Vora.

December 3, 2011: The Crime Branch files charge sheet in the case. Two persons - Chhota Rajan and Nayansingh Bisht - shown as wanted accused.

November 25, 2011: Journalist Jigna Vora arrested on charges of instigating gangster Chhota Rajan to plan the killing.

July 7, 2011: Provisions of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) invoked against the accused.

June 27, 2011: Mumbai Crime Branch arrests ten people, including the shooter, Satish Kaliya, and others Abhijit Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge and Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Deepak Sisodia and Paulson Joseph.

June 11, 2011: Journalist Jyotirmoy Dey (56) shot dead near Hiranandani Gardens in suburban Powai. A case of murder filed at the Powai police station and the probe transferred to the Crime Branch.

from Current Affairs https://ift.tt/2KtDkoo