Mumbai: A bookie, who is believed to have financed the operation to kill veteran journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, has been arrested, Mumbai police said on Sunday. He is the eight person to be arrested in the sensational murder.
Vinod Asrani, from Chembur in northeast Mumbai, also identified Dey for the killers who shot dead the crime reporter in broad daylight at Powai June 11, an official said.
Besides running an illegal betting racket, Asrani is also a builder in Chembur, from where he was arrested, the senior official said.
Asrani was brought before before a magistrate and remanded to police custody till July 7.
Crime branch sources said intensive grilling of sharpshooter Kaliya and Underworld don Chhota Rajan’s key aide D K Rao, who was picked up for questioning yesterday, revealed the involvement of Vinod Chembur.
Vinod, who is allegedly involved in laundering Rajan’s tainted funds in real estate and was once a leading cricket bookie, had handed over money on Rajan’s behalf to Subhash Kaliya, who shot dead Dey on June 11 in Powai.
Asrani is believed to be actively working for underworld don Rajendra Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan.
On June 26, Mumbai police finally solved the Dey murder case by nabbing seven people, including the hit men who fired the shots.
Dey was editor (special investigations) of Mumbai tabloid Mid Day and specialized in reporting on the underworld. (Agencies)