Court acquits two Chhota Rajan gang members in 2005 cable operator murder case

A CBI court acquitted Jayant Mule and Santosh Bhosale of murder charges in the 2005 killing of businessman Sanjay Gupta, citing insufficient evidence.

Mumbai: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Tuesday acquitted Jayant Mule, the brother-in-law of Chhota Rajan, and Santosh Bhosale, an alleged member of the incarcerated gangster’s gang, in connection with the 2005 murder of businessman Sanjay Gupta, in which Rajan is also an accused. The special court acquitted the duo on the grounds that the evidence brought forth by the prosecution was not enough to prove the charges against them.

Court acquits two Chhota Rajan gang members in 2005 cable operator murder case

Gupta, a cable operator based in Navi Mumbai, was shot and killed by alleged members of Rajan’s gang in his Nerul office on March 21, 2005. According to the prosecution, the killing took place over a business rivalry between Gupta and Pradeep Madgaonkar, a Chhota Rajan aide also known as Bandya Mama, who was allegedly trying to take over the former’s business.

According to Gupta’s brother and wife, Madgaonkar was annoyed after the deceased formed a group of cable operators against Chhota Rajan and his aides. To gain supremacy in the area, Madgaonkar, Chhota Rajan and his organised crime syndicate got Gupta killed, they claimed.

However, the prime witness, who was present in Gupta’s office when the firing took place, told the court that he was not aware of death threats given to Gupta, adding that he failed to properly see the three accused who entered the office. The court observed that the testimony of the prime witness does not support the prosecution’s case.

Gupta’s brother, who was one of the witnesses, told the court that Mule once came to Gupta’s office to inform him that Rajan was angry with him. He added that the matter was settled between Rajan and Gupta over a phone call. However, the court held that his evidence was insufficient to prove the case against Mule. The investigating officer who arrested Bhosale and Mule stated that the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) was not invoked against the duo.

The court observed that there was no medical evidence in connection with the homicidal death of Gupta. “Considering the evidence on record, it is seen that the prosecution failed to connect this accused with the alleged incident beyond reasonable doubt,” observed the special sessions judge, AM Patil.

While acquitting Bhosale, the judge said, “The prosecution examined four witnesses, but they did not support the case of [the] prosecution and, therefore, the accused is liable to be acquitted.”

In 2021, the CBI had filed a closure report in connection with the murder case. However, the special CBI court had refused to accept the closure report, observing that the fact that the witnesses turned hostile against other accused in a separate trial was not sufficient to close the case against the accused.

The Mumbai police had arrested Shripad Padalkar, also known as Nilesh; Baliram Vaidya, also known as Kolhya; and Rajesh Bhosale in connection with the murder. During the investigation, Santosh Bhosale, also known as Junun; Sandesh Kamble, also known as Doctor; Jayant Rajaram Mule; Madgaonkar; Sunil Kadam; Bhagwant Singh Thakur, also known as Bharat Nepali; Kiran Dhokare, also known as Balu; Chhota Rajan and a certain Raju were identified as wanted accused.