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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Court denies bail to gangster Chhota Rajan in 20-year old arms haul case
IN A 20-year-old case of alleged concealment of arms among drums of grease at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), a special court rejected the bail plea of gangster Chhota Rajan, calling it a 'serious offence'. Rajan was deported to India in 2005 and is currently lodged in Tihar jail in New Delhi. Rajan sought bail in the case stating that he has spent 10 years in jail as an undertrial and the trial is yet to conclude. After his deportation, all the cases pending against him were transferred for a probe to the CBI and a special court has been designated for trial in these cases. This particular case dates back to May 21, 2005, when one Mukund Patel was arrested for possessing a loaded revolver near Kandivali railway station. His interrogation revealed that Bharat Nepali, a henchman of gangster Chhota Rajan, has imported a huge quantity of firearms and ammunition concealed in one drum, hidden among 27 drums of grease. He also led the police to the drum kept at a logistic park in the JNPT area. The container had 34 revolvers, three pistols, one silencer and 1,283 live cartridges concealed. Police invoked sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Rajan was named as an absconding accused in the case as the leader of an organised crime syndicate, called the Chhota Rajan gang. Rajan sought bail stating that there is no evidence against him and he has been in judicial custody since 2015. Special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat submitted that there is evidence, including an intercepted conversation, and that the case is nearing conclusion. The court said that Rajan has been punished for offences ranging from life imprisonment to two years. Rajan was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2018 for the murder of journalist J Dey in 2011. 'The present matter is of a serious nature. Prosecution has already examined a total 45 witnesses…all the important witnesses have been examined by the prosecution. Now, there may be few witnesses who remain to be examined…and thereby, the trial may be completed within a few months,' special judge A M Patil said in the order passed on May 28.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Arms haul case: Court refuses bail to gangster Chhota Rajan, says offences serious
A special court here has refused bail to gangster Chhota Rajan in a 2005 arms case noting that the offence is of a serious nature. Special judge A M Patil, in his order of May 28, also refused to accept Rajan's argument of delay in trial. "The present matter is of serious nature. Prosecution has already examined a total of 45 witnesses and as per the prosecution, the trial is likely to be completed soon," the court said. Rajan is not entitled to bail in the present case, the court said. A huge cache of 34 revolvers, three pistols, one silencer and 1283 live cartridges meant for use by Rajan's henchmen as part of a crime syndicate was seized by police in 2005. The prosecution's claim is that the arms were imported by Rajan's close aide Bharat Nepali. Live Events Rajan was booked under various provisions of Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Customs Act and Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Rajan, in his bail plea, said he has been implicated in the case despite no evidence and that he has been in judicial custody since his arrest in 2015. Rajan, who is presently lodged at the Tihar jail in Delhi, also cited delay in the trial in the case. PTI Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
20 years on, Chhota Rajan acquitted in builder threat case as prosecution fails to prove charge
Mumbai, In a setback for CBI, gangster Chhota Rajan was acquitted by a special court two decades after he was booked for threatening a builder, with the judge noting the prosecution has failed to prove the charge as nothing incriminatory was found during witnesses' testimonies. The gangster will, however, continue to remain in the Tijar Jail where he is serving a life term for the murder of Mumbai-based crime reporter J Dey. While acquitting Chhota Rajan on Thursday, special judge AM Patil of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court noted that the most reliable witness of the prosecution is not certain whether the person who had called him on the phone to threaten the builder was indeed Chhota Rajan. The Central Bureau of Investigation , which investigated the case, stated that real estate developer Nandkumar Harchandani had received multiple threats in the name of Chhota Rajan, asking him to clear the dues he purportedly owed to some businessmen. The prosecution maintained Harchandani had invited displeasure of the accused in the matter of payment of money who hatched a plan to teach a lesson to the builder. Rajan, through his accomplices, had allegedly told Harchandani to stop work at the construction site, it said. In September 2004, seven unidentified persons entered Harchandani's office and fired at his accountant, but he escaped narrowly. The court stated that nothing incriminatory against the present accused came on record during the testimonies of two eyewitnesses examined by the prosecution. "The most reliable witness against the present accused is Irshad Shaikh, who received Rajan's alleged call about the threat. But, during his cross-examination, he admitted that he is not certain whether the person who made the call was 'Chhota Rajan' or somebody else. This is the crucial admission given by this witness, which goes to the very roots of the case," the judge stated. "In sum and substance, it can be said that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused," the court added.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Time of India
Gangster Chhota Rajan acquitted in 21-year-old case
MUMBAI: With a key witness admitting that he was uncertain about the identity of the person who made calls about threats, a special CBI court this week acquitted gangster Chhota Rajan in a 21-year-old case where he is accused of ordering the violent closure of a construction site after a builder did not pay his dues to certain other businessman. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It was alleged that the builder's accountant escaped with injuries after the goons hired at Rajan's behest opened fire. Judge AM Patil said, "In the present case in hand, it was the duty of the prosecution to establish how the present accused is connected with the other accused and when he entered into such conspiracy. But, they failed to prove the same. It can be said that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused." Rajan (69) will continue to remain in jail as he is serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of journalist J Dey. The 2004 case against Rajan and others was among the 71 cases that were transferred to CBI after he was deported from Bali in 2015. The injured victim Prakash More, was among the 23 witnesses cited by the prosecution. More revealed that in 2004, he was employed as an accountant at the premises of M/s Shelter Maker India Private Limited, an entity owned by Nandkumar Harchandani, situated at Manjarekar Wadi, Teli Galli, Andheri (East), where development activities were in progress. He further submitted that on Sept 16, 2004, between 10.15am and 10.30am, while present on duty , a group of approximately six to seven individuals forcibly entered the office. Two members of this groupexclaimed in Hindi, "The boss told you to stop work, didn't he?" He further deposed that upon his denial of any knowledge, one of the individuals discharged the firearm; however, he evaded the bullet. The remaining individuals present outside assaulted him. Thereafter, he contacted Harchandani and narrated the incident.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Time of India
Gangster Chhota Rajan acquitted in 21-year-old builder violence case
Mumbai: With a key witness admitting that he was uncertain about the identity of the person who made calls about threats, a special CBI court this week acquitted gangster Chhota Rajan in a 21-year-old case where he is accused of ordering the violent closure of a construction site after a builder did not pay his dues to certain other businessman. It was alleged that the builder's accountant escaped with injuries after the goons hired at Rajan's behest opened fire. Referring to the evidence in the case, judge AM Patil said, "In the present case in hand, it was the duty of the prosecution to establish how the present accused is connected with the other accused and when he entered into such conspiracy. But, they failed to prove the same. In sum and substance, it can be said that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused." Rajan (69) will continue to remain in jail as he is serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of journalist J Dey. The 2004 case against Rajan and others was among the 71 cases that were transferred to CBI after he was deported from Bali in 2015. The injured victim Prakash More, was among the 23 witnesses cited by the prosecution. More revealed that in 2004, he was employed as an accountant at the premises of M/s Shelter Maker India Private Limited, an entity owned by Nandkumar Harchandani, situated at Manjarekar Wadi, Teli Galli, Andheri (East), where development activities were in progress. He further submitted that on Sept 16, 2004, between the hours of 10.15am and 10.30am, while present on duty alongside Ashok Vania (supervisor) and Peter (peon), a group of approximately six to seven individuals forcibly entered the office. Two members of this group opened the door to his cabin and exclaimed in Hindi, "The boss told you to stop work, didn't he?" He further deposed that upon his denial of any knowledge, a revolver was produced and pointed in his direction. In response, he immediately stood up. He then testified that one of the individuals discharged the firearm; however, he evaded the bullet, which subsequently impacted the wall. Following this, the remaining individuals present outside assaulted him, pushing him against a wall and causing physical injury to his head, specifically above the left ear. The group then departed, uttering a threat, "Anyone who interferes will be killed." Thereafter, he contacted Harchandani and narrated the incident.
