The Indian Express reports that charges will be framed against gangster Chhota Rajan on January 19 by a special court in the murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has been given until then to Rajan a copy of its chargesheet. The gangster is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
Rajan, detained in Bali and brought to India in October, was produced in the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail. He was produced in court via video conference.
He was placed under custody of the court in secured room where special Judge AL Pansare, prosecutors from the Crime Branch and the CBI, and officers from both agencies were present. He was told by the judge that charges would be framed against him on the next hearing of the case.
While he will jointly tried with the other arrested accused, the CBI, which has registered an FIR in the case, will take over the probe. The state had issued a notification last year transferring all of Rajan’s cases to the CBI but he cannot be tried by the CBI until it files its own chargesheet.
“They have no authorisation to try Rajan under the MCOCA Act,” said special public prosecutor Dilip Shah, appearing for the Crime Branch.
Rajan asked the court for time to appoint a lawyer in Mumbai to attend the trial. ”Rajan has not expressed to the court that he faces any danger in coming to Mumbai. He said that he will consult with his lawyer and then tell the court whether he is comfortable with videoconferencing or if he wants to come to Mumbai,” said Shah.
The Crime Branch had arrested 11 people for murder of Dey in broad daylight in Powai in 2011, allegedly at Rajan’s behest.
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