Chhota Rajan granted bail in 2001 murder case, to stay in jail in another case

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday suspended the life sentence of gangster Chhota Rajan in connection with the 2001 murder of hotelier Jaya Shetty and granted him bail.

The division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan ordered Rajan to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh for the bail.

However, Rajan will remain imprisoned due to other pending criminal cases. Earlier, in May, a special court convicted Rajan of Shetty’s murder and sentenced him to life. He then appealed the conviction in the High Court, requesting the suspension of his sentence and interim bail.

Jaya Shetty, owner of Golden Crown hotel in Gamdevi, Mumbai, was shot dead by two suspected members of Rajan’s gang on May 4, 2001, following extortion demands from Hemant Pujari, a gang member.

Rajan, already serving a life sentence for journalist J Dey’s murder, is currently incarcerated at Tihar jail in Delhi.