No trustworthy evidence against Vohra, says court

Mumbai: The special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Wednesday acquitted journalist Jigna Vora and Paulson Palitara alias Paulson Joseph of all the charges in the J Dey murder case. While acquitting Ms Vora, the court observed that there was no trustworthy evidence against her. The Mumbai police had arrested her on November 25, 2011.

The prosecution alleged that she was jealous of the slain journalist, as he was getting more news about the underworld from Farid Tanasha who was very closely associated with gangster Chhota Rajan.

It also stated that she used to publish news contrary to the news published by Dey and she used to contact Rajan and allegedly instigated him to murder Dey. The police also claimed that Ms Vora gave crucial information such as photos, address and detailed movements of Dey to Rajan for his identification.

However, while dealing with Ms Vora’s role, Justice Sameer Adkar, who passed first judgment of his career in a case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), said, “At the outset, as far as Jigna Vora is concerned, though the role attributed to her is that she instigated Rajan to commit the murder of J Dey, there is no trustworthy evidence against her. In fact, the public prosecutor (Pradeep Gharat) did not address arguments against her with much force. Perhaps he was also aware about the quality of the evidence against her,” said the judge. He further added, “This court has independently analysed the evidence of witnesses  relevant and there is nothing to suggest that Vora  had any role in this offence.”

Judge Adkar also said, “Even in the various extra-judicial confessions made by Rajan, he has nowhere stated that he murdered Dey because of instigation by Vora or anybody else.”

Charges against the accused

• Section 120 (B) (Criminal Conspiracy), 302 (Murder) of IPC
• Section 3(1), (i), 3 (2)& 3 (4) of MCOCA
• Assaliant Satish Kaliya also charged for section 3, 25 and 27 of Arms Act

Timeline

June 11, 2011: Senior journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, 56, shot dead near his residence in Powai in Mumbai.
June 27, 2011: The Mumbai Crime Branch made arrests seven persons including  Satish Kaliya, a Rajan gang sharpshooter, that let police to Rajan’s involvement
July 7, 2011: Provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) invoked against the accused.
December 3, 2011: The Crime Branch files its chargesheet in the case.
April 10, 2015: Asrani, facing prolonged illness, dies in jail.
October 25, 2015: Rajan is arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia and deported to India. He is sent to Tihar Jail in Delhi.
January 5, 2016: The case is transferred to the CBI.
August 31, 2017: The special MCOCA court frames charges against Rajan.
February 22, 2018: The prosecution completes its final arguments.
April 3, 2018: The defence completes its arguments. The special MCOCA court reserves its judgment in the case.