Hansal Mehta's Netflix series 'Scoop' wins big at Busan Film Festival: Who is Jigna Vora, falsely accused of journalist J Dey's murder

Produced by: Bhoomika
Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh

Netflix series 'Scoop', directed by Hansal Mehta, starring Karishma Tanna and Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, won the Best Asian TV Series at Busan Film Festival

Awards for Netflix
series 'Scoop'

Karishma Tanna also won the Best Actress award. She played the role of journalist Jagruti Pathak essayed on the real-life story of journalist Jigna Vora, who worked for the English daily Asian Age

Karishma Tanna wins
Best Actress award

Jigna Vora was falsely accused of having a connection in the murder of crime and investigation journalist Jyotirmoy Dey (usually referred to as J Dey), who used to work for Mid-Day, and had published several explosive pieces on the underworld dons of Mumbai. J Dey was shot to death by motorcycle-borne sharpshooters on June 11, 2011

Who is Jigna Vora?

His killing was speculated to be done by a professional murder due to his reportage on alleged oil mafia in Mumbai. Jyotirmoy had also done reports on the murder of the then Additional District Collector of Malegaon (Maharashtra) Yashwant Sonawane and blamed the oil mafia for the same

Jyotirmoy Dey's killing

On February 21, 2012, Mumbai Crime Branch chargesheeted journalist Jigna Vora under stringent provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and Arms Act and various other penal offences for her alleged role in Jyotirmoy’s murder

Charges against Jigna Vora

Mumbai Police claimed that Jigna Vora had a professional rivalry with Jyotirmoy Dey. She was later granted bail by a special court due to lack of evidence and that she had to look after her child

Jigna Vora got bail

Netflix series ‘Scoop’ was released on June 2. It is based on Jigna Vora’s biographical memoir "Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison". Jigna had documented her life behind the prison as she had to spend several years inside the prison and face multiple court hearings for 7 long years until she was acquitted of all the charges 

Jigna Vora acquitted of
all charges

As per the Mumbai Polic statement, J Dey was killed by a hitman Satish Kalia at the behest of Indian gangster Chhota Rajan. On May 2, 2018 he was convicted of murder of a journalist and handed life imprisonment

Chhota Rajan given lifer
for killing J Dey

Apart from Karishma Tanna and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, the series featured Harman Baweja, Pratik Gandhi and other actors

Cast of 'Scoop'