JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 02, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channel
An Indian court on Wednesday sentenced notorious gangster Chhota Rajan and eight others to life in prison for murdering a journalist in a drive-by shooting in Mumbai seven years ago.
Jyotirmoy Dey, a crime reporter who specialized in gangland activities for the Mid-day tabloid, was shot dead in broad daylight on June 11, 2011.
Prosecutors said Rajan had ordered the hit because he was unhappy about negative articles that Dey had written about him.
A special court in India’s financial capital Mumbai found Rajan guilty of ordering the contract killing of the 56-year-old.
The underworld don, who was appearing by video link from a New Delhi jail where he is being held, simply said “theek hai” (“OK”) after Judge Sameer Adkar read out his verdict.
The court also convicted eight henchmen, including four shooters. They and Rajan, who is in his late 50s, were later sentenced to life imprisonment.
Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat had called for a life term, saying Dey represented “the fourth pillar of democracy”.
“The punishment must act as a deterrent,” he told the courtroom.
Reporters in the world’s largest democracy often face harassment and intimidation by police, politicians, bureaucrats and criminal gangs.
More than 40 journalists have been killed in India since 1992, according to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists.
The judge acquitted two others of involvement, including a female journalist who had been accused of conspiring with and abetting Dey’s killers.
Jigna Vora, who worked for the Asian Age newspaper, was accused of passing on Dey’s home address and motorcycle registration number to gangsters working for Rajan.
She maintained her innocence throughout the trial and broke down in tears following her acquittal on all charges.
Police said Rajan’s gang followed Dey and shot him five times from behind near his home in the northern Mumbai suburb of Powai.
Officers said the gang was paid Rs500,000 (US$11,000) for the killing. They fled to towns around the country in the aftermath, where most of them were arrested.
Mid-day said at the time of his death that Dey was “a victim of his fearless journalism”.
His murder provoked outrage among Indian journalists, hundreds of whom took to the streets of Mumbai to demand greater protection from the state government and a swift inquiry.
Rajan, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, was once one of India’s most wanted men and is accused of dozens of gruesome crimes.
Wednesday’s ruling was his first major conviction since he was deported from Indonesia in October 2015 after two decades on the run.
Rajan was allegedly the right-hand man of Mumbai crime boss Dawood Ibrahim before an acrimonious split following the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai that killed 257 people.
Wednesday’s verdict came a day before World Press Freedom Day. - AFP
January 23, 2025: CPJ exposes Pakistan's dangerous deportation of Afghan journalists fleeing Taliban persecution, highlighting critical human rights violations and press freedom challenges. #JournalistSafety
January 23, 2025: Pakistan's PECA Amendment exposes a dangerous assault on press freedom, creating a repressive social media regulatory framework that threatens digital expression and criminalizes journalism. #MediaFreedom #PakistanLaw #DigitalRights #Censorship #JournalismUnderThreat
January 23, 2025: An in-depth look at the recent scuffle on a Pakistani talk show, its implications for media ethics, and the urgent need for TV channels to uphold decorum during debates.
January 22, 2025: PFUJ condemns the neglect of PTV pensioners who protested in Islamabad for unpaid dues and benefits. Union urges authorities to resolve issues without delay.
January 22, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned the new amendments to PECA 2016, describing them as unconstitutional and threatening press freedom. It warns of nationwide protests if the government doesn’t withdraw the bill.
January 22, 2025: The FIA has registered 18 cases, including against 10 more suspects, for sharing AI-generated images of Maryam Nawaz and the UAE President. The crackdown also targets those who liked or commented on the images.
January 21, 2025: Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates Trump on X despite the year-long platform ban, sparking outrage over government double standards and digital censorship concerns.
January 17, 2025: In an unprecedented breach of judicial protocol, Pakistani journalists accurately revealed Imran Khan's 14-year sentence in the Al-Qadir case on social media 24 hours before the official verdict, raising serious questions about court independence
January 20, 2025 Pakistan at the Crossroads of Glory and Expectation! As hosts and defending champions of the ICC Champions Trophy, the team stands poised for greatness. Can they turn the weight of national hope into victory? Read our in-depth analysis!
January 18, 2025 A CPJ report reveals that 361 journalists were jailed globally in 2024, with China, Israel, and Myanmar leading. The alarming trend highlights threats to press freedom and rising authoritarian repression worldwide.
January 16, 2025 Explore the evolution of the ICC Champions Trophy and cricket’s commercialization journey, from a gentleman’s game to a global enterprise. Discover how the ICC balanced tradition with revenue generation.
January 12, 2025 Explore an in-depth analysis of Pakistan cricket's decline in Test matches, examining systemic failures, cultural challenges, and the urgent need for modernization. From mismanagement of talents like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi to resistance against technological advancement, this comprehensive piece investigates how a cricket powerhouse finds itself at a critical crossroads between tradition and progress.
January 09, 2025 Shan Masood's magnificent 145 and a record-breaking opening stand with Babar Azam highlighted Pakistan's valiant fight against South Africa in Cape Town. Despite their resilience, Pakistan fell short, reflecting on deeper cricketing issues.