A special court in Mumbai has acquitted underworld don Rajendra Nikalje, aka Chhota Rajan, in the 1996 murder case of Dongri resident Sayyed Sohail Makbool Hussain due to a lack of evidence. However, Rajan's former accomplice, Ejaz Lakdawala aka Ajju, has been deemed guilty and sentenced accordingly for his involvement as a shooter in the crime.
On Thursday, Judge AM Patil sentenced Lakdawala to life imprisonment. With over two dozen cases against him, the botched shooting inadvertently resulted in the death of the victim's brother during the infamous gang feud between Rajan and Dawood in 1996, which saw Mumbai's streets as their battleground.
In a twist of fate, Lakdawala's own pistol jammed during the execution of the crime, causing a misfire that struck him in the leg. Despite being injured, Lakdawala's attempt to flee was thwarted by the police who captured the two assailants.
The cases registered by Mumbai police invoked sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), along with provisions of the Indian Arms Act.
The dying declaration of Hussain became a crucial piece of evidence, recorded by the police right before his death after the attack. Posthumously, the police added the charge of murder to this case. Investigations revealed that Chhota Rajan, who was abroad at the time, had allegedly ordered Lakdawala to carry out the hit.
After his escape and subsequent whereabouts were discovered in Canada, with Interpol's assistance, Lakdawala was extradited back to India. Rajan himself had been extradited from Bali and is currently serving a life sentence for another case in Delhi's Tihar Central Jail.
Despite years of investigation, no concrete evidence linked Chhota Rajan to the arms supplied for the case. Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat admitted during the trial's arguments that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lacked evidence to associate Rajan with the case, leading to his acquittal in court.
