On April 15, 2025, the Bombay High Court upheld the life sentences of Mohammed Ali Shaikh and Pranay Rane, members of the Chhota Rajan gang, for their involvement in a 2010 double murder near Mumbai’s JJ Hospital. The court dismissed their appeals, affirming the trial court’s judgment as “well-reasoned and legally sound.”
The incident occurred on February 13, 2010, when four individuals attempted to assassinate Asif Khan, an alleged associate of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Khan managed to escape, but Shakeel Modak and Asif Qureshi, who were present at the scene, were fatally shot. A woman passerby was also injured during the attack.
In August 2022, a special court convicted Shaikh and Rane for murder, criminal conspiracy, and violations under the Arms Act. The court acquitted Chhota Rajan and two others due to insufficient evidence.
The Bombay High Court’s decision underscores the strength of eyewitness testimony and physical evidence in securing convictions. Despite defense arguments regarding delayed police reporting, the court found the evidence presented to be cogent and reliable.
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