MiD DAY's Crime and Investigations Editor J Dey was murdered last Saturday near his home in Powai
MiD DAY's Crime and Investigations Editor J Dey was murdered last Saturday near his home in Powai.
Seven days after the investigations into the killing of one of the country's most respected journalists began, the Mumbai Police said yesterday that the case had reached a dead end, and that they would have to start from scratch.
While cops have been attending condolence meets and paying tribute, precious little has been achieved in the investigation
This, despite both the police and the state government claiming that they have put scores of their top officers on the job and that they are working 24x7 to crack the case.
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We appreciate their effort, but here's the thing: banging your head on a wall an entire day sure is hard work, but it only makes your head bleed while the wall stays where it was.
Throughout their investigation, MiD DAY and Dey's family provided all the support that the police needed: documents, access to Dey's e-mails, statements over and over again, so that we leave out nothing, however trivial, despite the trauma that both were going through.
In the same period, this newspaper has exposed how the Mumbai police have consistently messed up the investigation: the forensic team was called to examine the crime scene 24 hours after the murder; it took the forensic lab 120 hours after the murder to begin their ballistic tests and the examination of the viscera.
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Due to the delay in calling the forensic experts, three of the five bullets shot at Dey are missing, thanks to the pouring rain and access given by the police to crime scene tourists that included both civilians and politicians.
To add to the misery, the alleged underworld shooters detained by the police had to be let off due to lack of evidence.
There is no denying that the Mumbai Police is the most well-equipped investigation agency to crack the case. It has access to local informers, its officers know how the city's underworld works and it can call upon local expertise at short notice like no other. But the force has done little to inspire confidence in the citizens of Mumbai.
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If this is how the city police go about cracking what is possibly the most significant murder in the state capital this year, how do we place our confidence in their ability to solve routine cases? If honest and upright journalists are not safe in this city, who is?
Meanwhile, state Home Minister RR Patil, who seems to think he has a delicious foot because he keeps putting it in his mouth, has regressed from saying, "We will solve the crime in 48 hours" on Monday, to saying, "There are some criminals who are smart and they did not leave any clues" yesterday.
Mr Patil, Sir, please enlighten us, which criminal deliberately leaves any clues for the police to find?
If the police have bungled the investigation, the honourable minister has only added to the agony.
At MiD DAY, we believe that while it is important to nab the shooters, catching the person who ordered the hit job, no matter who that person would be, is of greater significance.
We also believe that if the Mumbai Police is unable to solve the crime quickly for whatever reason, the state government would have to seriously consider handing the investigation over to a central agency, especially given the alleged nexus between some elements within the force and the underworld.
And yes, while MiD DAY has supported and will support the Mumbai Police in its investigation, this newspaper will not stop holding the force accountable.
Dey may no longer be with us, but meting swift justice would be an important reminder that our democracy and our criminal justice system still work. Failure to do so will erode our confidence in our institutions. An already-troubled nation cannot afford that.
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Sachin Kalbag, Executive Editor
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