Defence seeks in-camera hearing of Rajan-Sujata conversation

Mumbai, Jul 1 (UNI) The defence, seeking bail of underworld don Chhota Rajan's wife Sujata Nikhalje in an alleged extortion case, today moved an application before the MCOCA court here praying for the conversation recordings between the don and his wife to be heard 'in-camera'.

Earlier, Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Judge Abhay Thipsay, while hearing the bail plea of Sujata and Rajan's elder brother Prakash Nikhalje, deferred the matter till July five, as the recordings of the alleged conversation between Rajan and his wife could not be heard due to a snag in the recorder.

During the last hearing of the bail plea on June 23, the court had asked the prosecution to produce the recordings of the conversation before the court today.

Now, the application for an 'in-camera' hearing of the recordings will also come up on July five.

Sujata was arrested in the alleged extortion case on December 14 last year while Prakash was held on December 18, and both had approached the MCOCA court, pleading for bail.

In all, six accused are in judicial custody, including Sujata, Prakash, their three accomplices Suresh Shinde, Harvinder Singh alias Kookoo Daruwala and Rakesh Surve, and Sujata's chartered accountant Bharat Dudhani.

Police had alleged that Sujata had received half of the Rs 10 lakh extortion amount from the complainant.

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