Whom do we believe?

While State Home Minister RR Patil assures us that we will get some definite answers on J Dey's murder in the next 48 hours, Joint CP (Crime) says cops have no concrete leads yet

Call it political woolgathering, or the classic pulling the wool over the media's eyes.

For, while the Home Minister told MID DAY that a breakthrough is upcoming in the next 48 hours in the case of slain MiD DAY journalist J Dey, the Mumbai Police owned up that they have no substantial clue until now as to who was behind the crime.


Prithviraj Chavan tries to pacify protesting journalists at Mantralaya. pic/Nimesh Dave

Cops said that they have too many angles to probe, and though they have certain theories to dissect, nothing
conclusive can be said as of yet.

Himanshu Roy, joint police commissioner (crime), said, "We have certain clues and are investigating the matter."

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RR Patil and Himanshu Roy

A senior official from Mumbai Police said, "There are a number of angles we are investigating. Including whether Dey was working on, or had in the past worked on, a story exposing the oil mafia or the underworld. It is too early to say anything."

He added, "A number of people have been detained from across the city and are being questioned. As yet, it is not known who was behind the murder."

The admittance of the police belies the assurance given by Patil to MiD DAY and the media fraternity yesterday after the latter's protest march to Mantralaya, demanding a speedy probe and action into Dey's murder.






Home Minister RR Patil told the media that a breakthrough in the case would be achieved in the next
48 hours. Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner (crime) investigates the spot where Dey was shot. A candlelight vigil is held in Dey's memory at Malad. Pic/Anil Pandya

Patil maintains that the police have been able to get some definite clues and the result should be out within the next two days.

Still probing
According to sources, the police are believed to have come upon some important numbers and data recovered from Dey's mobile phone, which may prove crucial to zero-in on the people behind the killing.

At the same time, it is being speculated that, faced with a barrage of questions on efficiency, police have assured the Home Minister that they will crack the case within two days, although they have nothing concrete to go on, sources said.

False hope?
Despite the Mumbai police denying coming upon any clinching evidence, Patil, after a discussion with Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy at his Mantralaya chamber yesterday, said the police have gathered crucial data that will definitely lead to the perpetrators.

"Teams from both the city police and the Crime Branch, involved in the investigations currently, are working overnight to crack the case," said Patil, who reportedly had a closed-door meeting with Roy for over half an hour.

About the furious reaction from the media fraternity, Patil said the probe is likely to yield results soon.u00a0
He also appraised Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of the case's progress at Mantralaya yesterday.

Asked whether he supports the demand for handing over the probe to CBI, Patil said he was not averse to it, but that it was not required at this juncture when the police were doing their job properly.

"Let them finish their job first," said the Home Minister reacting to the demand made by senior journalists who participated in the silent march from Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh to Mantralaya.

'Tread carefully'
The trundling of the government machinery over the investigation has raised some alarm in the Mantralaya corridors.

According to informed sources within the government, senior leaders from the Congress-NCP combine were keen to know of the headway made in the case and asking for the early results of it.

In fact, they are believed to have relayed their fears of media animosity to the CM and the Home Minister.

"Dey's murder might antagonise the entire media to the Congress-led Democratic Front government and may lead to a change in the public perception in the wake of the coming elections to the civic and local bodies across the state," a source in the Mantralaya said, adding that these sentiments have been communicated to the state chief and other ministers.