The Bombay High Court on Wednesday suspended the life sentence of notorious gangster Chhota Rajan in the 2001 murder of hotelier Jaya Shetty in Mumbai, granting him bail on a bond of ₹1 lakh. However, Rajan will remain in jail due to other pending criminal cases. The decision was made by a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, following Rajan’s appeal against his conviction in the murder case.
Background of Jaya Shetty’s Murder
Jaya Shetty, the owner of Golden Crown hotel in central Mumbai, was shot dead on May 4, 2001, by two alleged members of Chhota Rajan’s gang. Investigations revealed that Shetty had been receiving extortion demands from Hemant Pujari, a member of Rajan’s gang, and was killed for failing to comply.
Chhota Rajan’s Legal Troubles
In May 2023, a special court convicted Rajan for his role in Shetty’s murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment. Rajan is also serving a life term for the 2011 murder of journalist J Dey. His appeal to suspend the life sentence in Shetty’s case was part of his efforts to challenge his conviction.
Other High-Profile Cases
Rajan, who was arrested in Indonesia in 2015, is facing numerous criminal charges. Notably, in 2022, he was acquitted by a special CBI court of orchestrating the murder of prominent trade union leader Dr. Datta Samant in 1997 due to a lack of evidence. Dr. Samant had been assassinated by gunmen while traveling in Mumbai, and although others were convicted, Rajan remained a wanted accused until his arrest. All his pending cases have since been transferred to the CBI.
Despite his bail in the Shetty case, Rajan will remain imprisoned, as he continues to face multiple legal challenges.
