The Supreme Court Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta has cancelled the bail granted by the Bombay High Court to gangster Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, alias Chhota Rajan, in connection with the 2001 murder of hotelier Jaya Shetty.

The bench noted that Rajan, convicted in four other cases and absconding for 27 years, did not merit suspension of sentence. “Four convictions and abscondence of 27 years… why suspension of sentence to such a man?” Justice Mehta remarked, while allowing the CBI’s appeal.

Rajan’s counsel had argued that there was no evidence and that the CBI had closed 47 of the 71 cases against him. However, he admitted that this was Rajan’s second conviction for murder.

In May 2024, a Special MCOCA court in Mumbai sentenced Rajan to life imprisonment for Shetty’s killing, holding him guilty under Sections 302 and 120-B of the IPC, and multiple provisions of MCOCA. The court imposed a total fine of ₹16 lakh, with all four life sentences to run concurrently. He was later acquitted under the Arms Act.

Shetty, who owned the Golden Crown hotel in South Mumbai, had allegedly faced extortion threats from Rajan’s gang. On May 4, 2001, after his police protection was withdrawn, he was shot dead outside his office by two gang members for refusing to pay ₹50,000.

This was Rajan’s second life sentence, as he is already serving one in the 2011 murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey. Arrested in Bali in 2015 and deported to India, Rajan continues to face multiple criminal cases.

Order Awaited

Case Details: Central Bureau of Investigation, New Delhi vs. Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje @ Chhota Rajan @ Nana Sheth @ Sir And Anr., Diary No. 5707-2025