A Mumbai special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday (July 28) acquitted infamous gangster Chhota Rajan in connection with the 1997 murder of trade union leader Datta Samant. The acquittal was based on a lack of evidence, according to the court, news agency PTI reported. The gangster, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, faced accusations of hatching the conspiracy behind Datta Samant's murder. However, the court found no concrete evidence on record to substantiate these allegations.
Despite his acquittal, Chhota Rajan's legal battles are far from over, according to the report, as he is currently involved in a number of other cases in various cities. As a result, his release from prison is unlikely.
Datta Samant, a prominent figure who organised the 1981 Mumbai textile mill workers' strike, died tragically on January 16, 1997. He was killed while commuting to his office in Pant Nagar, Ghatkopar, by assailants on a motorbike who opened fire with 17 rounds of ammunition.
Key witnesses turned hostile and failed to support the prosecution's case during the prosecution's efforts to implicate Chhota Rajan in the murder conspiracy, according to the report. As a result, the court deemed the testimony of other witnesses insufficient to establish the charges against the accused.
"The material witnesses have turned hostile. They do not support the case of the prosecution. The testimony of other witnesses is not sufficient to prove the charges against the accused," the court said, PTI reported.
This case had seen its first phase of trial back in July 2000. It had identified gangster Guru Satam and Rajan's trusted lieutenant Rohit Verma as absconding accused, leading to their separate trials.
Chhota Rajan's arrest in October 2015, which took place in Bali, Indonesia, marked a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of justice. Subsequently, the CBI took over all the cases registered against him.