Two policemen depose in journalist J Dey murder trial

Mumbai, Jul 22: Two witnesses -- police officers -- today deposed before the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here in journalist J Dey murder case.

"One of them was the policeman who had reached the (murder) spot first after receiving information while the other was the one who had registered the FIR," said defence lawyer SM Deshpande.

The cross-examination of the second witness was yet to be conducted, said Deshpande. The court had framed charges against 11 accused in the case, including the journalist Jigna Vora, on June 8.

Dey was shot dead in suburban Powai on June 11, 2011, allegedly at the behest of fugitive gangster Chhota Rajan.

Police had on December, 2011 filed a charge sheet against the arrested accused Satish Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia.

Later, a separate charge sheet was filed against Vora. According to police, Rajan was annoyed by two articles written by Dey which showed him in bad light and ordered the veteran crime reporter's killing.

Vora had allegedly instigated the underworld don because of her own professional rivalry with Dey, the charge sheet says.

PTI