Mumbai Crime: Seven cases to watch out for in 2016

With 2015 virtually being the year of highprofile crime for Mumbai mdash from corporate executive Janhavi Gadkarrsquos drunkdriving incident to Hema Upadhyayrsquos murder via the Sheena Bora murder case mdash 2016 will inevitably be the year of trials While hearings in these cases begin in the coming months some others that are in various stages could draw to a close this year Here are the cases to look out for news junkies and peoplewatchersChhota Rajan to face trial for J Dey murdermidday investigations editor J Dey was shot dead in Powai on June 11 2011 on his way home In December 2011 the police filed a 3055page chargesheet against gangster Chhota Rajan and nine others later including journalist Jigna Vora as an accused saying she provided details about Dey to the hitmenmidday investigations editor J Dey was shot dead on June 11 2011 Right Gangster Chhota RajanWith Rajan being brought back to India in November the court has issued a warrant for him to be produced for trial With six witnesses having testified already the trial should pick up pace starting JanuaryLawyer drink driving casejanhavi Gadkar 32 drove her car on the wrong side of the Eastern Freeway allegedly under influence of alcohol and crashed into an oncoming taxi killing two The police claim the corporate lawyer had several pints of beer in two pubs before getting behind the wheelJanhavi GadkarThe trial should commence this year Meanwhile there was uproar after Gadkar was given her licence back Victim Sabawalarsquos family and two Reliance Industries executives who had spent the night drinking with Gadkar mdash Rahul Dutt and Alok Agarwal mdash will be key witnesses in the trialMumbai men in ISIS netThe police are still tracking a group of missing Malvani men at least one of whom is believed to have left the country to join the ISIS but the first such incident happened last May when four Kalyan boys reached Syria to fight alongside the Islamic StateAreeb Majeed is currently lodged in Arthur Road jailOne of them mdash Areeb Majeed mdash is back and has been charged with ldquowaging war against an Asiatic power in alliance with the Government of Indiardquo While Majeed has moved the high court for bail the trial in the lower court will commence this year Which way the trial goes will set a major legal precedent2611 terror attackIn a big diplomatic coup India got the US to agree to allow David Coleman Headley to depose as a witness via video conferencingAbu Jundal and right David Coleman HeadleyDouble agent Headley who surveyed the city for the Lashkare Toiba masterminds will depose against alleged terror operative Sayyed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu JundalSheena Bora murder caseIn a sensational case that would rival any that the city has ever seen the police arrested media honcho Indrani Mukerjea her exhusband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyam Rai on August 21 for allegedly murdering her daughter Sheena BoraIndrani Mukerjea her daughter Sheena Bora and Peter MukerjeaThe case also claimed the job of Rakesh Maria as commissioner of police for his lsquounusual interestrsquo in the case His successor Ahmad Javed had to recuse himself after it emerged that he is a close friend of the accused couple The CBI is now investigating the case but with Indrani not cracking and evidence against Peter thin expect more saucy twists in this sordid tale as the investigation concludes and the trial beginsJiah Khan caseTwo years after Jiah Khan was found dead the CBI charged her boyfriend and Bollywood starlet because why should the term be restricted to women Sooraj Pancholi with abetting her suicideSooraj Pancholi was charged for abetting the suicide of Jiah KhanThough the CBI did not see any merit in her mother Rabiya Khanrsquos claim that Jiah was murdered enough sordid details about domestic abuse have emerged in the charge sheet Again expect a charged trial as a mother continues her quest for justicePaes and Rhea Pillai caseStarting late 2013 tennis ace Leander Paes and Rhea Pillai have filed several applications throwing muck at each otherTennis ace Leander Paes and Rhea PillaiWhile Leander made all sorts of accusations against the ldquobohemianrdquo Rhea she accused him and his father of breaking into their home and hacking into her computerTheirs being a livein relationship the court will rule in 2016 about whether Rhea under the Domestic Violence Act can claim relief and is eligible for maintenance The custody battle over their minor daughter is also expected to be resolved this year