Kaskar firing case: Chhota Rajan's aide granted bail

A sessions court on Wednesday granted bail to a close aide of fugitive gangster Chhota Rajan, in connection with the firing outside the residence of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar, in which, the latter's bodyguard-cum-driver was killed.

"Paulsaon Joseph, who is also an accused in the senior scribe J Dey murder case, was granted bail in the firing case," police sources said.

However, even though Joseph has been granted bail, he would not be walking free, as he is in a judicial custody in the J Dey case.

According to police, Joseph had provided global SIM cards to Umed-Ul-Rehman, an alleged member of Chhota Rajan gang, arrested in the firing case.

Two gunmen had fired outside Kaskar's residence on Pakmodia street in south Mumbai on May 17 last year, killing Kaskar's bodyguard-cum-driver Arif Syed Abu Bukha. Kaskar was not present at the time, when the incident occurred.

The Police had arrested seven accused and Rajan is wanted in the firing case. Joseph had also allegedly provided global SIM cards to the accused involved in the murder of senior crime journalist J Dey, who was shot dead by four motorcycle-borne assailants in suburban Powai on June 11 last year.