Mumbai journalist arrested in J Dey murder case

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Nov 25, 2011: A Mumbai-based journalist, Jigna Vora, was on Friday arrested in connection with the murder case of Mid-Day journalist J Dey.

Vora, who is employed with an English daily, is accused of being a part of the conspiracy to kill Dey.

The police are probing the underworld link in connection with Dey’s murder, in this case that of Chhota Rajan as he is believed to be the matermind behind the murder.

"Jigna Vora, deputy bureau chief of English daily Asian Age, has been arrested today as she played a role in the conspiracy hatched to murder J Dey," Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Himanshu Roy said.

Vora, who was questioned by the crime branch in connection with the case several times, will be produced before a MCOCA court later on Friday.

According to sources, Vora was suspected to have provided the licence plate number of Dey’s motorcycle to fugitive underworld don Chhota Rajan, who allegedly got the journalist killed for putting out stories against him.

Dey was shot dead outside his house at Powai in Mumbai on June 11, 2011.

The police had arrested seven persons on June 27: Rohee Thangappan Joseph alias Satish Kalya (34); Abhijeet Kasharam Shinde (28); Arun Janardan Dake (27); Sachin Suresh Gaikwad (27); Anil Bhanudas Waghmode (35); Nilesh Narayan Shedge alias Bablu (34); and Mangesh Damodar Agawane (25).

They later arrested Vinod Asrani alias Vinod Chembur, a builder and a bookie who is known to be a close associate of Chhota Rajan; Paulson Joseph, another close aide of the gangster; and Deepak Sisodiya who allegedly supplied the crime weapon.

The police slapped Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on the arrested accused on July 8.

Later, on September 24, the court hearing the case granted 45-day extension to the police to file the chargesheet in the case. Another extension was given to the police on November 4.