The tense atmosphere in a Mumbai sessions court thickened as one of the most significant underworld trials in recent memory continued to unfold. The 2001 JJ Hospital shootout case, a brazen attack that exposed the brutal gang wars plaguing the city, is finally seeing key witnesses take the stand.
What Really Happened Inside JJ Hospital?
On that fateful day in September 2001, the corridors of Mumbai's state-run JJ Hospital turned into a battleground. Armed assailants stormed the medical facility, targeting a patient named Arjun Babu Bhavani. In a hail of bullets, Bhavani was killed while visiting an associate from the Chhota Rajan gang who was already receiving treatment.
The prosecution alleges this was a carefully planned hit by members of the rival Chhota Shakeel gang, operating under the command of India's most wanted don, Dawood Ibrahim.
Key Witness Drops Bombshell in Court
The trial took a dramatic turn when Bharat Doshi, also known as Bharat Nepali, provided crucial testimony. Identified as a key figure within the Chhota Rajan organization, Nepali's account before Special Judge A M Patil revealed startling details about the inner workings of Mumbai's criminal underworld.
"The witness testimony paints a vivid picture of the gang rivalries that turned Mumbai's hospitals into shooting galleries," explained a court observer familiar with the case.
Gangland Politics Exposed
According to prosecution documents, the shootout was retaliation for earlier attacks. The Chhota Shakeel faction allegedly targeted Bhavani in response to the murder of their associate, Shakeel's brother-in-law, in a Malaysian prison.
This tit-for-tat violence exemplifies the brutal gang warfare that characterized Mumbai's underworld during this period, where hospitals were no longer safe havens but became extensions of the battlefield.
Long Road to Justice
The case represents one of many legal battles against Mumbai's organized crime networks. With multiple accused still facing trial and some key figures remaining at large, the proceedings highlight the challenges law enforcement faces in combating well-organized criminal syndicates.
As the trial continues, legal experts suggest the testimony emerging from this case could have implications for numerous other pending investigations into Mumbai's gangland activities.
