(Image source from: Deccanchronicle.com)

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to notorious underworld criminal Chhota Rajan, who was previously convicted for the 2001 murder of a hotel owner in Mumbai. The court has suspended his life sentence. The court has ordered Rajan to provide a bond of ₹ 1 lakh for the bail. Despite the bail, Rajan will remain in jail as he is also serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, and other criminal cases. Earlier this year, a special court had found Rajan guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder of Jaya Shetty, the owner of the Golden Crown Hotel in Mumbai. The investigation had revealed that Shetty was killed because he failed to pay the extortion money demanded by Rajan's associates. Rajan, 64, is considered one of the most feared mafia leaders in Mumbai.

The criminal was first apprehended in 1979 for attacking law enforcement officers. After serving his sentence, he associated with the Bada Rajan gang and then sought protection under Dawood Ibrahim. In 1989, Rajan secretly fled to Dubai and Indonesia, where he evaded authorities for nearly 27 years as a fugitive. He was later extradited to India in November 2015. The notorious underworld figure is accused of various criminal offenses, such as homicide, extortion, smuggling, and drug trade.