In a significant ruling, a special MCOCA court acquitted underworld figure Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, alias Chhota Rajan, in a 2008 case involving the shooting of a builder in Mumbai’s Andheri suburb. The court concluded that there was insufficient evidence to connect Rajan to the crime, which had been attributed to his organized crime syndicate.
The case revolved around an FIR lodged on the builder’s statement, accusing four men allegedly associated with Rajan’s gang of attempting to murder him. The Mumbai crime branch, during its investigation, identified the accused—Kamar Rashid (alias Munna Abdul Rashid Siddique), Parvez Akhtar Siddique, Anees Anwar Khan, and Asghar Rajabali Khan—as members of Rajan’s network. While three of them were convicted and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in 2010, Asghar Khan was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
After Rajan’s extradition from Bali, Indonesia, in October 2015, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a supplementary chargesheet against him, invoking provisions under the IPC, Arms Act, and MCOCA. However, Rajan’s defense argued that the allegations were baseless, claiming no prima facie evidence existed to prove his involvement. The defense also suggested that the complainant, allegedly close to former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, had targeted Rajan as part of a vendetta. Delivering the verdict, Special Judge A.M. Patil acquitted Rajan of all charges and directed him to post a personal bond of ₹15,000 within six months. This bond would ensure his presence should the CBI appeal the decision. The detailed court order is awaited.
Despite this acquittal, Rajan will remain incarcerated. He is currently serving life sentences in two other cases, including the high-profile 2011 murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey. In October, the Bombay High Court suspended his life sentence in the 2001 murder of hotelier Jaya Shetty, granting him bail in that case. Special Public Prosecutor Pradip Gharat disclosed that out of 71 cases registered against Rajan, he has been convicted in seven, while four remain under trial. Gharat also noted that several cases were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Rajan’s 2015 arrest at Bali airport and subsequent deportation to India marked a turning point in his criminal history. Following his extradition, all cases against him were transferred to the CBI for comprehensive prosecution.
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