SC cancels Chhota Rajan bail in '01 Jaya Shetty case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned a Bombay high court order suspending gangster Chhota Rajan's life sentence in the 2001 murder of hotelier Jaya Shetty and granted him bail.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) appeal against the high court's October 2024 order, restoring the trial court's punishment.

The top court took into account the fact that Chhota Rajan stood convicted in four other criminal cases and remained absconding for 27 years. “Four convictions and absconded for 27 years...why suspension of sentence to such a man?” the court wondered.

During the Wednesday hearing, the counsel for Chhota Rajan argued that there was insufficient evidence against him, and that the CBI had closed 47 of 71 cases against him without finding any material. Despite this, the counsel admitted that the current conviction was his second for murder. This admission ultimately led the bench to revoke Chhota Rajan’s bail and cancel his suspension.