Chhota Rajan aide held in J Dey murder case

A close associate of fugitive underworld don Chhota Rajan was on Monday arrested in Mumbai for his alleged involvement in the killing of senior journalist J Dey, police said.

Paulson Joseph was Monday apprehended from Chembur area in the Dey murder case, Joint Police Commissioner (Crime)

Himanshu Roy told PTI. He would be produced before a local court on Tuesday.

"Joseph had provided logistical support in the crime. The shooters, who were earlier arrested in the case, had got SIM cards from him. These SIM cards with fake names were used while executing the crime," Roy said.

Sources in the crime branch said Joseph, who had been handling the don's financial matters in the city, was also continuously in touch with Rajan as well as the arrested accused to execute the killing of the senior journalist.

Dey, 56, working with the Mumbai-based English tabloid MidDay, was shot dead by four motorcycle-borne assailants in suburban Powai on June 11.

Police had claimed that the scribe was eliminated at the behest of Rajan, who paid Rs 5 lakh to the accused. However, they said the motive behind the killing was not yet clear.

Earlier, police had over the period of time arrested nine accused, including builder Vinod Asrani and sharp shooters.

Joseph is the same person who had organised the 2009 Christmas-eve bash in Chembur that saw five policemen suspended as the cops were caught on camera while partying with the gangsters.