Mumbai:
Investigations into the killing of Mid-Day Editor (Investigations) J Dey has thrown up the distinct possibility of the rivalry between friends-turned-foes Chhota Rajan and Santosh Shetty being the reason behind the murder.
Confirming that this was one of their key theories, senior police officials told this newspaper that Dey used to receive calls from both Rajan and Shetty for stories.
Dey had done a front-page report on Shetty taking the credit for the killing of gangster Bharat Nepali earlier this year ('I pumped 4 bullets into Nepali', Mid-Day, February 21), following which Rajan had called him up claiming that he, and not Shetty, had killed Nepali.
"Rajan used to call Dey for doing stories on him often and may have been under the impression that the reporter knew a lot about him. He may have felt threatened by Dey doing stories on his arch rival Shetty," said a senior officer, on condition of anonymity.
Police are also investigating whether Dey meeting someone had irked Rajan. They do, however, maintain that Dey's killing related to a professional matter and not a personal one.
According to police records, Shetty had joined hands with Rajan in 1994, immediately after the latter split with Dawood Ibrahim. Shetty had helped Rajan escape from Dubai and find safe haven in south east Asia.
"Soon after this, Shetty was caught in a narcotics case and spent five years in Nashik jail. It was here that he came in touch with Bharat Nepali, who was imprisoned for his involvement in the Datta Samant murder case," a retired police officer said.
Shetty was acquitted from all charges in 1999. The next year, he and Nepali shifted base to Bangkok, where Chhota Rajan and his key aide Rohit Verma were already operating.
On September 17, 2000, Chhota Shakeel's men made an attempt on Rajan's life. Rajan survived, but Verma was killed. An injured Rajan was admitted to a hospital under the watchful eyes of the Thailand police and it was thanks to the daring efforts of Shetty and Nepali that Rajan managed to flee and save his life.
This made Shetty the most important member in the Rajan gang and he masterminded all the gang's operations and killings since then. In 2004, however, Shetty and Rajan parted ways over some financial issues.
In 2008, Nepali, too, parted ways with Rajan and joined hands with Shetty. However, Nepali started becoming too big for his shoes and wanted to kill a very close associate of Shetty. That is when, Shetty claims, he decided to get rid of Nepali.
Shetty formed a gang called SS Syndicate with his close associates and declared that Rajan was his sworn enemy and that he was out to destroy him and his empire.
Rs 2 lakhMoney that Satish Kalia got for planning and executing the plot.
Rs 50,000Amount that each of the other six accused were paid for the murder.
June 6: Rajan called Kalia and gave Dey's bike number and also described him to be 6.2 ft tall and wearing spectacles. Rajan told him that he would be found at Mid-Day office in Peninsula center at Parel or at a circle in Hiranandani.
June 7: Around 1 pm, Kalia along with Anil Waghmode went to Peninsula center. They identified Dey and his bike.
June 8: They came to Mid-Day's office, but realised that it was too crowded for a shootout.
June 9, 10: The seven accused roamed around Hiranandani area, but could not find Dey.