Special court acquits Chhota Rajan, 3 others

MUMBAI: The special CBI court on Thursday acquitted gangster Chhota Rajan and three others in the 2009 double murder case.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place on July 31, 2009. Zahid Hassan Mir alias Chhote Miyan, an alleged associate of Dawood Ibrahim, and Sayeed Arshad were shot dead by two unidentified men. Two others – Abdul Wali Qureshi and Jagmohan Pal – not connected with the Mumbai underworld, were injured in the firing and had testified before the court as eye-witnesses.

The prosecution had claimed that it was Rajan who had orchestrated the attack.

However, special judge AM Patil acquitted Rajan and three others – Mohmmad Ali Sheikh, Umaid Shaikh and Pranay Rane – for lack of evidence. The court said the case was not proved against Rajan as the prosecution could not prove the charge of conspiracy against him.

The CBI had relied on Rajan’s alleged interview with a journalist.

REUTERS Chhota Rajan.