Mumbai: The prosecution in the J. Dey murder case relied on the alleged confession made under MCOCA by Arun Dake, one of the nine accused, to press its case against six other accused and show that the crime was the result of a planned, meticulous operation. Dake and four other convicts allegedly visited the Shirdi Sai Baba and Shani Shingnapur temples three days after the June 2011 murder of Dey.
As per Dake’s confession before the court, four days before Dey was murdered on June 11, 2011, Dake and another accused were asked to visit a Mulund-based bar at LBS road at around 8.30 pm and keep watch on a “tall man” (Dey) - who would be called there by another accused (now deceased) - and who would arrive in a white BMW surrounded by four Sikh bodyguards.
The entire exercise was allegedly carried out to identify Dey. Dake further confessed that the accused then attempted to monitor Dey’s movements in Ghatkopar, where his close relative stayed, and around his newspaper office in Lower Parel, before targeting him.
Referring to Dake’s confession, the court said, “Dake has not only admitted his guilt but has also clearly specified the role of accused numbers 1 to 4, 6 and 7 in the incident. It is very much clear from the statements made by him that the murder of Dey was a well-planned affair and was executed meticulously.”
Earlier however, Dake had retracted his statement. Asked about the same, he said, “It is true but I was tortured and assaulted. I was told that I would be jailed for two years. I was told to cooperate. I was also told that the police would help my family.”
The court put aside the retraction saying, “It is clear that the confession made by accused number 5, Dake, was voluntary and truthful. At the same time, it is also clear that the retraction of the same was nothing but an afterthought. Therefore, the said retraction is required to be ignored.”
