The Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which will eventually get the custody of gangster Rajendra Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan upon his arrival in India, is planning to bring him face-to-face with former journalist Jigna Vora, an accused in the Jyotirmoy Dey (J Dey) murder case. Chhota Rajan is expected to arrive in India by a special chartered flight by Thursday evening provided the climate is conducive for flying. All flights from Indonesia have been cancelled since Tuesday evening due to spewing of volcanic ash from a nearby mountain. In India, Rajan is likely to be with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a while before being handed over either to Delhi or Mumbai Police. Sources indicate that the Delhi Special Cell will get his custody first in all likelihood. Even though the Mumbai Police might have to wait for a while before questioning the gangster who is wanted for 75 cases here, it has already decided the course of questioning for him. [related-post] One such case is that of journalist J Dey’s murder case. “The provisions of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) allow an accused to be confronted with a wanted accused upon his arrest. Since the motive of J Dey’s murder is still not clear, the two will be made to come face-to-face so that we can derive the motive of the murder,” a senior police officer told The Indian Express. The J Dey murder case dates back to June 11, 2011. The crime journalist was shot dead by four unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen near his house in Hiranandani Gardens, Powai. The police attributed the motive to two articles written by Dey which reportedly showed Rajan in “poor light”. The case is currently being tried by the Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act ( MCOCA) Court. However, the first case the Crime Branch is likely to take up with Rajan is the Pakmodia firing case, in which two alleged Chhota Rajan gunmen opened fire outside the house of Iqbal Kaskar, fugitive underworld criminal Dawood Ibrahim’s brother, on Pakmodia Street in south Mumbai, killing Kaskar’s bodyguard-cum-driver Arif Syed Abu Bukha. The firing was ordered by Chhota Rajan. Even though there are 75 cases against Rajan, sources claim that only 15 cases which have been registered between 1990-2015 have strong evidence against Rajan and therefore these cases will be prioritised. “The case papers of the old cases are difficult to locate. In some cases we only have the Crime Register ( CR) number and very little details. The cases which seem to be strong in terms of evidence will be first on the priority list,” added the official. Given the imminent threat perception to Rajan’s life, the government is thinking of having a special designated court to try all cases against Rajan. “Instead of moving him from court to court, having a designated court will help ease the security concerns surrounding Rajan,” he further said. The police have chalked a detailed security plan for Rajan upon his arrival in Mumbai. In Mumbai he will be lodged at barrack number 12, a bomb-proof, chemical-proof, bulletproof cell in the Arthur Road Jail. The outer layer of the jail premises will be secured by paramilitary forces. Jail authorities will also get a dialysis machine for Rajan inside the prison to treat him as both of his kidneys have failed. The 55-year-old criminal was arrested from a plush resort in Bali upon his arrival from Sydney October 25. rashmi.rajput@expressindia.com
