J Dey murder: Cops seek court nod to question Rajan's aide

The city police moved an application in the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court on Tuesday seeking custody of suspected Chhota Rajan aide Paulson Joseph, lodged in a jail for his role in the J Dey murder, as they doubt he may have met the woman journalist arrested recently before the sensational killing.

Joseph, the tenth accused in the killing of the senior journalist with English tabloid Mid-Day, was arrested on September 5. He is currently lodged in the Arthur Road jail.

"We have moved an application in the MCOCA court on Monday seeking Joseph's custody as we want to question him again in connection with Dey's case," Assistant Police Commissioner (Crime) Ashok Duraphe told mediapersons.

The arguments on the application will be held in the court on Wednesday, he said.

According to police sources, Joseph's custody is required at this "crucial stage of investigation" as recently arrested woman journalist Jigna Vora was suspected to have met him before Dey's killing.

"We want to know what Joseph and Vora had spoken if they had met. We want both of them to confront each other and ask some questions that will clear the picture," the source said.

Dey was shot dead in suburban Powai on June 11 by assailants who followed him on motorcycles. The murder was allegedly executed at the behest of Rajan.

Vora, deputy bureau chief of English daily The Asian Age, was arrested on November 25. Besides IPC, the 37-year-old was booked under the MCOCA for her alleged role in the murder.

Before he was apprehended in Dey's case, Joseph was behind bars in the case of Pakmodia Street firing occurred on May 17 in which Arif Syed Abu Bukha, the bodyguard-cum-driver of Iqbal Kaskar, brother of Dawood Ibrahim, was killed. Kaskar was not present at the time when the incident occurred.

Joseph had allegedly provided global SIM cards to the accused involved in the murder of Dey as well as Pakmodia Street firing case