Mumbai: A special MCOCA court on Wednesday convicted 11 persons in connection with the June 2010 murder of Farid Tanasha, an alleged confidante and sharpshooter of gangster Chhota Rajan. The court awarded life sentence to six of the convicts and sentenced the remaining 5 to imprisonment for 10 years.
Special judge S.M. Bhosale awarded a life sentence to Jafar Khan, alias Abbas, Mohd Sakib Khan, Raviprakash Sinh, alias Twinkle, Pankaj Sinh, Randhir Sinh, alias Nikhil and Mohd Rafik Shaikh, alias Shankar. The court has also imposed a fine of over Rs 5 lakh on each of the accused.
Public prosecutor Raja Thakare had contended before the court that all the 11 accused, along with wanted accused Bhagwanthsingh Kuwarsingh Thakur, alias ‘Bharat Nepali’, Vijay Shyam Shetty, alias Santosh Shetty and Zishan were involved in the murder.
Tanasha was shot dead on June 2, 2010 at his residence. According to the prosecution, the sharpshooter was killed at the instance of builder Dattatraya Bhakare.
The police claimed that Bhakare was developing a plot in Chembur and the society members had objected to it and approached Tanasha for help. Tanasha was supporting the society members and hence Bhakare decided to eliminate him and approached gangster Bharat Nepali and Vijay Shetty. It is further alleged that Bhakare spent around rs 90 lakh to execute Tanasha's murder.
Incidently, Nepali was a former associate of Tanasha, who broke away from Chhota Rajan in 2007 and allegedly teamed up with another wanted accused Santosh Shetty. Tanasha and Nepali were very close and both were members of the gang that went to Pakistan to target underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in the past, but could not execute him.
Though Nepali is shown as a wanted accused in the Tanasha murder case, he is reported to have been shot dead in November 2010 itself by suspected Chhota Rajan henchmen in Bangkok.
Role of accused
Builder Dattatraya Bhakare wanted Tanasha dead as he was supporting some society members who were against Bhakare's plan of redeveloping the society in Chembur
Tanasha murder was executed at the instance of Bharat Nepali and Santosh Shetty after getting receiving a contract from Bhakare Jafar Khan, Sakib Khan, Raviprakash Sinh shot at Tanasha while Pankaj Sinh and Randhir Sinh provided cover
Developer Rajender Rohidas Chavan knew many builders who were into SRA redevelopment projects. He used to pass on information of projects to Rajan so that money could be extorted from them and he used to get commission. He abetted the murder by providing information to rival gang.
