Who paid Satish Kalia the blood money?

After J Dey's shooter admitted to receiving Rs 5 lakh from two people at Chembur and Nalasopara, senior cops raised questions on the Crime Branch's cluelessness about their identity

After J Dey's shooter admitted to receiving Rs 5 lakh from two people at Chembur and Nalasopara, senior cops raised questions on the Crime Branch's cluelessness about their identity

WHILE the Mumbai Police announced yesterday that the seven accused apprehended for J Dey's murder were paid Rs 5 lakh in cash for the hit job through Chhota Rajan two lakh from a person in Chembur and three from someone in Nalasopara officials from within the force have raised questions about the cops' lack of knowledge of the source of the money.

While Satish Kalia, who is believed to have been the one who fired at Dey while his accomplices looked on, admitted that he had picked up the money from Diamond Garden in Chembur a known Rajan stronghold and Nalasopara, he has stated that he was clueless about the identity of the persons who gave him the money.

"Rajan must have asked two of his lackeys from whom he demands extortion money on a regular basis to hand over the amount to Kalia at Chembur and at Nalasopara," said a senior police official.

"It is rather unfortunate that the crime branch does not know where the money came from. The Mumbai Police has intelligence dossiers on all those who help Rajan financially.

Besides, Satish Kalia, one of Rajan's key shooters, is a known face in Chembur and it should not have been tough to trace the person who gave him the money," he added.

History is replete with instances of Rajan controlling his operations from Chembur. A departmental inquiry was initiated against a police officer posted there for having received money from Rajan. The officer, who has now retired, was later transferred out of Mumbai.

And, it was not long after that, when the role of Rajan's family members in extortion came to the fore. In December 15, 2005, Rajan's wife Sujata Nikhalje and four Rajan gang members were arrested for running a real estate firm allegedly used as a front to extort money from builders.

Files seized from Bharat Tulani, Nikhalje's personal accountant, had opened a pandora's box that revealed details of Rajan's extortion plot against many developers in the area and his money laundering activities.

Sequence
In his confession to the police, Kalia has stated that he received a call from Rajan 20 days before Dey's murder informing him that he had to bump somebody off. Rajan gave him the description of the person and asked him to collect Rs 2 lakh from someone at Diamond Garden in Chembur.

Kalia went to the spot and collected the money without asking any questions or seeking to know the identity of the person who was handing the amount over to him.

On June 11, after the shootout, Kalia was shocked at coming to know through news channels that he had shot a senior journalist.
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He was scared and called up Rajan, who asked him not to worry and collect Rs 3 lakh from a person in Nalasopara. He gave the location and time and asked him to tell all his accomplices to leave the city after that, which he did.

The Seven Killers

Rohit Joseph alias Satish Kalia (34)
Is the main accused, who fired five rounds at Dey. He was seated behind Arun Doke on the bike. He is the mastermind of the murder and did a recce from the MiD DAY office in Parel to Hiranandani on a bike on June 6. He was nabbed from Rameshwaram.
Criminal record:
1999: Attempted to murder a wine shop owner in Khar
1998: Killed Mohan Mahite in Khar, who was a witness in another case.
2004: Killed Mahesh Dewdigha in Khar
2004: Killed Ashok Shetty, a hotelier, in Vashi
2005: Was involved in a fake passport caseu00a0

Anil Bhanudas VaghmoDe (35)
Anil was on the second bike, which was behind Kalia's. The Qualis which was seized is registered in his name. He also accompanied Kalia on the recce from Parel to Hiranandani. He was nabbed from Rameshwaram.
Criminal record:
1993: Killed Nasir in D N Nagar
2004: An extortion case was lodged against him with theu00a0 Oshiwara police

Nilesh Shengde alias Bablu (34)
Nilesh was on the bike with Anil and was taling Kalia's bike.
He was picked up from Solapur
Criminal record:
2002: Involved in a grievous hurt case
2009: Involved in a theft in Nagpada
2010: Involved in a grievous hurt case in Dharavi

Abhijeet Kashiram Shinde (28)
Was seated in Qualis and was waiting for the shooters.
Criminal record:
Grievous hurt case
Picked up from Rameshwaram

Mangesh Damodar Agvane (25)
Was seated behind Sachin on the bike. Picked up from Mumbai. No previous criminal record.