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CBI court acquits Chhota Rajan in Mumbai union leader Datta Samant murder case
On January 16, 1997, Dr Samant was proceeding in his jeep from Powai to Pant Nagar in Ghatkopar when he was attacked near Naresh general store on Padmavati Road
MUMBAI: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday acquitted gangster Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje aka Chhota Rajan accused of orchestrating the high-profile murder of famous Mumbai trade union leader Dr Datta Samant who was shot dead in 1997.
Special CBI judge AM Patil acquitted Rajan of all the charges in connection with the murder for “want of cogent evidence”.
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Dr Samant was shot dead by four persons on Padmavati Road on January 16, 1997, when he was going from Powai to Ghatkopar in his jeep. The four assailants, according to the prosecution, who came on motorcycles, intercepted Dr Samant’s jeep and fired at least 17 bullets at him.
Dr Samant was immediately rushed to the nearby Aniket Nursing Home, where he was declared brought dead.
Following the incident, a case was registered at the Sakinaka police station against four unknown assailants based on complaint filed Dr Samant’s driver Bhimrao Sonkamble, who too had sustained injuries to his face and neck in the attack.
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In the first set of trials, some locals were tried, and the judgment was pronounced in July 2000. In the case against Rajan, another gangster Guru Satam and Rajan’s trusted lieutenant Rohit Verma were shown absconding, and their trial was separated.
Rajan was arrested in October 2015 from Bali in Indonesia. Later, the CBI took over all the cases registered against him and prosecuted Rajan in Dr Samant’s murder case.
