MCOCA to be invoked against Dey murder accused: Police

MUMBAI: A day after arresting the seven accused for allegedly murdering senior crime journalist Jyotirmoy Dey in Powai, city police have decided to book them under stringent provisions of the MCOCA against the underworld don Chhota Rajan men.

The police have also claimed that the accused have told them about the motive for killing of Dey on June 11, but they are verifying the statements given by the culprits before making any comment on it.

Joint Police Commissioner Himanshu Roy (Crime) said, "We will invoke the MCOCA against the accused."

According to police, the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) can be applied, if at least one member of the organised crime gang has at least two charge-sheets registered against him.

In the chargesheet, besides the arrested seven accused, underworld don Chhota Rajan's name would also be included, a Crime Branch officer said.

Rajan has several criminal cases against him in the city, whereas the four of the seven arrested accused also have more than two chargesheets against them, police said.

"It is a fit case where the MCOCA can be applied against the accused. I think only a paper work is left to apply the stringent act against them," said the official.

On the motive of the gruesome killing, Roy said, "Rajan told Kalya about the motive behind Dey's murder after the incident. During the interrogation, Kalya told us about the motive, but we are verifying his claims, as it is a very sensitive case and we do not want say anything on this without cross checking".