No evidence of ‘quality’ against Jigna Vora

MUMBAI: Jigna Vora, accused in fellow journalist J Dey’s murder, walked out a free person on Wednesday, tears running down her face as she hugged relatives after the court pronounced her “acquitted.” She had faced trial for instigating Rajan. The court said, “In fact, the special public prosecutor did not address arguments against Jigna Vora with much force. Perhaps he was also aware about the quality of the evidence against the accused Jigna Vora.”
Her acquittal is a setback to police. “Prosecution has failed to prove her involvement,” said special judge Sameer S Adkar.

The CBI case was that “she was jealous of Dey as he was getting more news about crime world from one Farid Tanasha who was very closely associated with Rajan. She used to publish news contrary to the news published by Dey. She used to contact Rajan and instigate him to commit the murder.”

Police arrested Jigna on November 25, 2011, five months after the hit. They invoked MCOCA against her for allegedly providing key information including Dey’s photograph, address, motorcycle licence number and timings to Rajan to facilitate the murder. In jail for almost 10 months, she was out on bail in August 2012.

This court said it had analyzed evidence of four reporters and called them relevant witnesses with respect to charges against Jigna. “There is nothing in their evidence to suggest that the accused Jigna Vora had instigated Rajan to commit the murder or that she had any other role in this offence,” the court said. It stated that in extrajudicial confessions made by Rajan. he has nowhere stated he got Dey murdered because of instigation by Vora or anybody else. “Even recovery of various mobile phones and SIM cards of Jigna Vora and CDRs fail to connect the accused with the offence,” the judge said. Jigna declined to speak with TOI, holding a finger to her lips, but told some mediapersons, “Finally, it is over. I am happy to be proven innocent.” Her cousin Paresh Vora said, “I knew she’dbe acquitted. I got a message from God.” The verdict says Vora is in her 40s and her occupation is “healing and meditation.”

Prakash Shetty, Jigna’s defence counsel, had argued her “arrest itself is wrong and malicious.” He had said “she had no motive to kill J Dey. As a journalist, calling Rajan doesn’t mean they are participating in a conspiracy. Many journalists have called him and he too has called many. One intercepted call is there between Rajan and Manoj, an associate of Vinod Asrani, a deceased accused, in which there is some reference to Jigna where she is alleged to be talking about Dey and making comments about him.” Shetty said, “Such ‘loose talk’ doesn’t lead to an inference or indicate she shared any common intention to eliminate or that she wanted to.”