Mumbai, May 11 — In a significant setback for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a special MCOCA court in Mumbai has acquitted gangster Chhota Rajan in a two-decade-old case involving threats to a real estate developer. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish Rajan’s involvement beyond reasonable doubt.
Special Judge A M Patil, presiding over the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court, delivered the verdict on Thursday. He observed that the key prosecution witness could not definitively confirm whether it was Rajan who had issued the threats over the phone.
Prosecution’s Allegations Fall Short
According to the CBI, Rajan allegedly threatened builder Nandkumar Harchandani multiple times, demanding repayment of dues supposedly owed to certain businessmen. The prosecution claimed Rajan orchestrated a plan to intimidate Harchandani, including an incident in September 2004 where seven unidentified assailants entered his office and fired at his accountant, who narrowly escaped.The CBI maintained that Rajan’s associates warned the builder to halt construction activities at the site as part of the intimidation strategy.
Court Cites Lack of Evidence
However, the court found no concrete evidence linking Rajan to the threats or the shooting incident. Notably, the judge pointed out that the most credible witness, Irshad Shaikh, who reportedly received the threat call, admitted during cross-examination that he could not confirm if the voice on the call was indeed Rajan’s.“This is the crucial admission given by this witness, which goes to the very roots of the case,” Judge Patil noted in the judgment. “Nothing incriminatory against the present accused came on record during the testimonies of two eyewitnesses examined by the prosecution,” he added.
Chhota Rajan to Remain in Prison
Despite the acquittal, Chhota Rajan will continue serving a life sentence at Tihar Jail in Delhi for the 2011 murder of Mumbai crime journalist J Dey.The verdict marks a rare legal victory for the former underworld don, even as he remains behind bars for his conviction in several other high-profile criminal cases.
