Dey murder case: Witness deposed from US on video

Mumbai: The prosecution in the 2011 murder of senior crime journalist, J. Dey, Tuesday examined the last witness from USA, a forensic expert, who, after comparing photographs of the motorcycle used in the assault and the one seen in the CCTV footage of the crime, confirmed that it was the same vehicle.

Since the witness deposed from the US, the court commenced hearing at 9am, two hours before typical court proceedings in Mumbai. Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said, “Today, we examined Edward Burns, a forensic expert from the US, via video conferencing as a witness in the Dey murder case. He had examined original photographs of the seized motorcycle used in the murder and the CCTV footage of the crime. In his deposition, he confirmed that the motorcycle seen in the photographs and the CCTV recording is the same.”

The prosecution had to seek help from the US forensic expert as the CCTV footage was blurred. As the technology in the US is more advanced, the Mumbai police sought help from the US forensic expert. The original pictures of the motorcycle and the CCTV recording were sent to the US for comparison. Advocate Gharat said that till now, the prosecution has examined 154 witnesses. He also said that the court would be calling in a ballistic expert and the officer who granted sanction to prosecute the accused under the Arms Act as court witnesses.

Two bike-borne persons opened fire at Dey on June 11, 2011. The prosecution case is that gangster Rajendra Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan ordered Dey’s killing because he was of the view that Dey was portraying him in poor light in his news reports and also because of the book Dey was writing, where too, he had depicted Rajan as a chindi (petty) criminal.