1996 Murder Case: Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court, while gangster Rajan Nikhalje, alias Chhota Rajan, has been acquitted in a murder case dating back 28 years. The case revolves around the killing of 32-year-old Syed Farid Maqbool Hussain on October 7, 1996, allegedly due to gang rivalry in Mohammed Ali Road. Farid was shot and taken to Sir J J Hospital by his brother and a friend but succumbed to his injuries two days later.

During the trial, Special Public Prosecutor Pradip Gharat revealed that two policemen on patrol noticed two men moving hastily in the area, one of whom had blood on his pants. Upon investigation, they discovered that both men were armed with revolvers and had been involved in a shootout. The firearm seized from Lakdawala matched the bullets found in the victim's body, indicating his involvement in the crime. Despite one of the accused being acquitted in a separate trial, Lakdawala's conviction was supported by strong forensic evidence.

In his defence, Lakdawala had said that there were no eyewitnesses to prove that it was he who had murdered Farid. He had also submitted that he was falsely implicated even though he had no connection to the case.

Regarding Rajan, the CBI had said that he was involved in the conspiracy to commit the murder. Rajan had said that there was no evidence to show that he was in any manner connected to the murder. The court cleared him of all charges in the case. Rajan is however currently serving a life sentence in jail for the murder of journalist J Dey, an appeal against which is pending in the Bombay High Court. Lakdawala, who had been absconding, was re-arrested in 2020. He too had other pending cases against him.