Court summons Chhota Rajan to Mumbai for J Dey murder trial

MUMBAI, Dec 22: Gangster Chhota Rajan would be tried alongwith the other accused in the jourlist J Dey murder case, the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court here said on Tuesday and issued a warrant against asking him to appear before it onJanuary 7.

“The court has ordered a joint trial,” special public prosecutor Dileep Shah said. The judge A L Pansare observed that the trial cannot be deferred as the Bombay High Court had expedited it, Shah said. “Moreover, no one from the CBI has been coming to the court to apprise the court about their progress in the investigation,” Shah added. The court directed the Tihar jail officials (in Delhi) to ensure that Rajan is present in the court on January 7. “The court said it will frame charges against him and start the trial on the same day,” said the prosecutor. The judge also said that with the available material against Rajan in the charge sheet, the trial can start. The court observed that a joint trial (as against trying Rajan separately) was required as it will save the time of the witnesses as they would not have to come to the court again and again, Defence lawyer Santosh M Deshpande contended. Rajan was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 after he arrived from Australia, and was later deported to India. Maharashtra government has handed over all the cases against him to CBI. (IANS)