Ajay Gosalia firing: Chhota Rajan says 5 witnesses were part of conspiracy

In a plea filed last week, Rajan alleged that the conspiracy to attack Gosalia was hatched by approver Amit Sinha and his friends, who are listed as witnesses

Extradited underworld don Chhota Rajan alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) has arrested innocent people in connection with the Ajay Gosalia firing case.

Rajan also alleged that a developer identified as Gharat knew about the conspiracy. (HT File Photo)

Gosalia alias Ganda, a bookie-turned-builder, was shot at by three people on August 28, 2013, when he was exiting Infiniti Mall in Malad (West).

In a plea filed last week, Rajan alleged that the conspiracy to attack Gosalia was hatched by approver Amit Sinha and his friends, who are listed as witnesses.

Rajan questioned Sinha’s version of the sequence of events. The gangster pleaded that Sinha’s friends — Ashok Gharat, Dinesh Thakur, Suresh Shinde and Nadeem Qureshi alias Nitin Gaikwad — be listed as accused in the case.

“It seems that the offence was committed by Sinha and his friends for their own benefit. After Sinha was caught, he gave the bureau false names so the court would pardon him,” said Rajan.

According to the prosecution, Sinha had played the role of a coordinator. He served as a link between the conspirators and the executors of the plot to kill Gosalia. He collected money and arranged for weapons and shooters.

Sinha had confessed that the accused had practiced firing at Gharat’s farmhouse as it was a secluded area. Sinha had said Gharat knew that they were slated to attack someone, but did not know who their target was.

Sinha had also confessed that Thakur and he had been friends since 2009. Sinha said Thakur accompanied him while he was collecting money in Mumbai to buy a weapon in Indore.

Rajan alleged that Shinde was Sinha’s friend and had arranged for the vehicle used in the crime. Rajan said Sinha had told Shinde he needed a vehicle to execute the murder.

The defence alleged that Sinha confessed that Qureshi was a close friend of his and knew about the conspiracy. Citing Sinha’s evidence recorded in court, Rajan alleged that Sinha would regularly discuss details of the plot with Qureshi. The prosecution has been asked to file a stay on the application.

Who is Ajay Gosalia?

Ajay Gosalia alias Ganda, a bookie-turned-builder, was shot at by three people on August 28, 2013, when he was exiting Infiniti Mall in Malad (West). The CBI alleged that the firing was ordered by extradited gangster Rajendra Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan. It added that Rajan had ordered one of the accused, Satish Kalia, to carry out the firing. The agency said accused Amit Sinha planned the conspiracy, along with Kalia. Approver Amit Sinha said he hatched the plot to impress Rajan.

Read

Meetings were held in JJ Hospital to plan 2013 Gosalia firing, says witness

CBI files two more cases against Chhota Rajan