Subhechcha Ganguly 
Dr. Samant was attacked on January 16, 1997, as he drove his jeep from Powai to Pant Nagar in Ghatkopar. The attack occurred close to the Naresh general store on Padmavati Road.On Friday, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court found bandit Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, also known as Chhota Rajan, not guilty of the high-profile shooting death of renowned Mumbai trade union leader Dr. Datta Samant in 1997.Rajan was exonerated of all charges in connection with the murder by special CBI judge AM Patil due to “lack of cogent evidence.”
On January 16, 1997, Dr. Samant was travelling in his jeep from Powai to Ghatkopar when he was shot killed by four people on Padmavati Road. According to the prosecution, the four attackers arrived on motorcycles.
Dr. Samant was sent right away to the close-by Aniket Nursing Home, where he was pronounced dead.Following the event, a case was opened at the Sakinaka police station against four unidentified attackers on the basis of a complaint made by Dr. Samant’s chauffeur Bhimrao Sonkamble, who was also hurt in the attack and had injuries to his face and neck.Some residents were convicted in the first round of proceedings, and the verdict was delivered in July 2000. A separate trial was held for Guru Satam, another thug, and Rohit Verma, Rajan’s dependable subordinate, when it was revealed that they had fled the scene of the crime.
Rajan was detained in Indonesia’s Bali on October 2015. Later, the CBI took over all of the complaints brought against him and Rajan was charged with murder in the case of Dr. Samant.
