Special CBI court to deliver verdict in J Dey murder case today

Prosecution said Mumbai journalist Jyotirmoy Dey was shot on the orders of gangster Chhota Rajan, who was allegedly instigated by another journalist, Jigna Vora, who worked with a different newspaper at the time.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court will deliver its verdict in the murder case of Mumbai journalist Jyotirmoy Dey on Wednesday.

Jyotirmoy Dey, who worked as editor (special investigation) for Mid Day newspaper, was shot dead on June 11, 2011, when he was on his way home in Powai (HT File Photo)

Dey was shot dead on June 11, 2011, when he was on his way home in Powai. According to the prosecution, gangster Chhota Rajan’s men — Satish Kalya, Anil Waghmode, Abhijeet Shinde, Nilesh Shendge, Arun Dake, Mangesh Agawane and Sachin Gaikwad — had followed Dey from his mother’s house. Kaliya shot him with a .32 bore pistol near Powai garden, and the gang fled.

The prosecution said Dey was shot on the orders of Rajan, who was allegedly instigated by another journalist, Jigna Vora, who worked with a different newspaper at the time. The court tried 11 people in the case.

During the trial, special public prosecutor Pradeeep Gharat also claimed that Rajan planned to kill Dey because of the articles he published in a city tabloid, and for unpublished books on Rajan’s life.

The Mumbai crime branch, in its charge sheet, said Dey had written two articles on Rajan — on May 30, 2011, and June 2, 2011.

The crime branch further said that these articles had the potential to undermine Rajan’s illegal activities and that he had ordered the hit on Dey “to send a message to the journalistic community”.

The CBI took over the investigation after Rajan was arrested in 2015. The agency said Rajan tried several times between January and March 2011 to stop Dey from writing stories or books about him.