Bombay HC Confirms Life Sentences in Chhota Rajan Aide Double Murder Case

The Bombay High Court has affirmed the life imprisonment sentences of two associates of gangster Chhota Rajan in connection with a 2010 double murder. On Tuesday, a division bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale ruled that the lower court’s decision was “well-reasoned and legally sound.”

In August 2022, a trial court convicted Mohammed Ali Shaikh and Pranay Rane for charges including murder, conspiracy, and violations under the Arms Act. Chhota Rajan and two others were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

Dismissing the appeals filed by the convicted duo, the High Court stated, “The evidence on record, when assessed in its entirety, establishes the guilt of the appellants beyond reasonable doubt.”

According to special prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, four individuals opened fire on February 13, 2010, targeting Asif Khan, an alleged associate of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, near the JJ Marg police station in Mumbai. While Khan escaped unharmed, two of his acquaintances — Shakeel Modak and Asif Qureshi — were fatally shot during the incident.