Chhota Rajan crony killed

Chhota Rajan crony killed
Express News Service

Mumbai, Feb 15: A key associate of the Chhota Rajan was killed in an encounter with the police at Vidya Vihar this afternoon.

A sepcial squad led by Senior Inspector Praffula Bhosle laid a trap for Sanjay Jadhav alias Bandya (30) around 1 pm after they were tipped off that he was planning to target a bomb blast assused in the area.

Jadhav fired three rounds from an imported .32 revolver at the squad as they closed in on him. However, he was seriously injured in the subsequent exchange of fire and was declared dead before admission to Rajawadi Hospital, claimed the police.

The police said Jadhav's unidentified associates managed to escape in a waiting car. The other officers in squad are Assitant Police Inspector R Wanmane, Prakash Patil, Hemant Desai, Ashok Khot, S Dhumal, A Palanade and Santosh Jadhav.

According to police records, Jadhav had kidnapped 10-year-old Vaabhav Kataria, some of noted Nasik-based builder Kataria. The school boy was tortured and killed as his father failed to cough up Rs 10 lakh ransom.

Jadhav was later arrested with his associate Birju Jeet and Ravindra Pandey in connection with the murder. They were also booked under the provison of TADA.

However, Jadhav came in contact with Chhota Rajan's key associate Bharat Nepali and Sadhu Shetty during his detention and was provided with arms. He and hisd associates were later under to carry out killing in the city, the police informed.

Sanjay was wanted in the murder of Chembur hotelier Vinod Shetty in October last year and a Dawood gangster Raees Sheikh on February 1.