J Dey murder verdict: What happened in the Mumbai courtroom

Illustration/Uday Mohite

A special CBI court yesterday sentenced nine, including gangster Chhota Rajan, to life imprisonment along with a collective fine of Rs 2.2 crore for the murder of journalist J Dey. Journalist Jigna Vora and Rajan aide Paulson Palitara were acquitted by special CBI judge Sameer Adkar, who announced the judgment in a jam-packed courtroom around 11.40 am and gave the quantum of punishment around 4.20 pm.

Shooter Satish Kalya, Anil Waghmode, Abhijit Shinde, Nilesh Shedge, Arun Dake, Mangesh Agawane, Sachin Gaikwad, Deepak Sisodia and Rajan were convicted under various sections. The court also awarded Rs 5 lakh to Dey's sister Leena, Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said.

Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat after the verdict at the Sessions Court yesterday. Pics/Atul Kamble

Court observations
While sentencing the nine for conspiracy and murder, the court held that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing the incident as an act of organised crime committed by Rajan's "crime syndicate", and the murder was well planned. The court relied upon the extra-judicial confession made by Rajan himself in a call to another person, where he can be heard speaking about having gotten J Dey killed, that was recorded by the police. It also relied on the calls made by Rajan to three journalists, wherein he said he had ordered the hit on Dey.

"It is clear that the evidence from these witnesses, regarding the phone calls made to them by Chhota Rajan confessing his guilt, is cogent, trustworthy and reliable. These witnesses were senior and experienced journalists. They were independent witnesses. There was no reason for them to depose falsely. There is no evidence to show that there was any previous concert between these witnesses to falsely implicate the accused," the court observed. "The extra judicial confessions have passed the test of credibility, can be accepted and can be the basis of a conviction."

Paresh Vora, Jigna's uncle

No leniency
Defence lawyers asked for a lesser sentence as some accused were old and ailing and had families to take care of. On this, the court order read, "The murder of Dey was a cold-blooded act. The accused have criminal antecedents. [Though] one of the accused is HIV+, that is no ground to show leniency, considering the nature of the offence and the manner in which it was committed."

Rs 2.2 cr
Total fine slapped on the convicts

Illustrations/Ravi Jadhav

Also read: J Dey murder: Life sentence for Chhota Rajan and other accused