The Special Judge, MCOCA Court, Mumbai on Wednesday sentenced Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 16 lakh in Jaya Sesu Shetty murder case.
The Union government had transferred 71 cases involving Chhota Rajan to the CBI for investigation including the case pertaining to murder of hotelier Jaya Shetty, said the CBI in a communiqué.
The case was initially registered by the Gamdevi Police Station in Mumbai under sections of IPC and Arms Act. The FIR in the case alleged that two unknown persons entered the premises of a Mumbai hotel and fired at the owner Jaya Sesu Shetty, as he had failed to meet the extortion demand.
The Mumbai Police had filed a chargesheet before the Special MCOCA Court, Mumbai against three accused persons in this case.
After taking over the investigation, the CBI filed a supplementary charge-sheet on February 28 in 2019 against Chhota Rajan before the MCOCA Court, Mumbai.
During the course of investigation, the CBI was able to trace and examine other relevant witnesses including ex-member of the Chhota Rajan Gang apart from others cited by local Police.
On the basis of evidence collected during the investigation, the CBI was able to prove that the murder of the hotel owner was committed on the instructions of the accused as head of organized crime syndicate, the agency said.
Notably, as per the Central probe agency, this is the second case investigated by it involving Chhota Rajan, in which he has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Earlier, in 2018, the accused was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in another murder case investigated by CBI.