SC Cancels Chhota Rajan’s Bail, Questions Sentence Suspension
The Supreme Court of India has cancelled the bail previously granted to gangster Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, also known as Chhota Rajan, in the 2001 murder case of Mumbai hotelier Jaya Shetty.
A bench led by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s appeal and termed the suspension of Rajan’s life sentence questionable.
Background of the Case
In October 2024, the Bombay High Court had suspended the life sentence awarded to Rajan in May 2024 for the murder of Shetty, and granted him bail pending appeal.
However, Rajan remains in prison because he is already serving life terms in other cases, including for the 2011 murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey.
One of the concerns raised by the Supreme Court is that Rajan has been convicted in multiple other cases and was an absconder for nearly 27 years before his deportation to India in 2015.
Legal Implications
The Supreme Court’s decision underscores that in high-profile criminal matters, suspension of sentences and bail orders must be justified with strong legal reasoning, especially when the accused has prior convictions and a history of evasion. The Court’s cancellation signals its view that the earlier High Court order lacked sufficient grounds.
