Saturday, March 29, 2025
The Supreme Court on Wednesday cancelled the bail granted to underworld don Chhota Rajan in the 2001 murder case of hotelier Jaya Shetty, restoring his life imprisonment sentence that was earlier suspended by the Bombay High Court.
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta passed the order after hearing arguments from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the CBI, argued that Rajan has been convicted in at least four other cases and had been absconding for nearly 27 years.
Justice Mehta remarked:
“Why should the sentence of a man convicted in four cases and absconding for 27 years be suspended?”
With this, the top court overturned the Bombay High Court’s October 2024 decision that had suspended Rajan’s sentence and granted him bail.
Rajan’s lawyer contended that the case was based on weak evidence, noting that out of 71 cases against him, the CBI had closed 47 due to lack of proof. He admitted, however, that this was the second murder conviction against Rajan. Despite these arguments, the Supreme Court upheld his life sentence.
According to the CBI, Jaya Shetty, owner of the Golden Crown Hotel in South Mumbai, had faced extortion threats from Rajan’s gang. She had been provided police protection, but it was withdrawn two months before her death.
The gang allegedly demanded ₹50,000 from her, which she refused to pay. On May 4, 2001, two members of Rajan’s gang allegedly shot her dead outside her office.
In May 2024, a special CBI court convicted Chhota Rajan and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He appealed against the decision, and on October 23, 2024, the Bombay High Court suspended his sentence and granted him bail. However, he was not released since he was already serving sentences in other cases.
The Supreme Court clarified that Rajan remains in judicial custody and the cancellation of bail will not alter his current imprisonment status.
Chhota Rajan, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, was once a close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim before breaking away to form his own gang. He has been convicted in multiple cases including murder, extortion, and organized crime.
