India woman editor charged in journalist J Dey's murder

Jyotirmoy Dey was one of Mumbai's top crime reporters

A senior Indian journalist has been charged for her alleged role in the killing of a prominent crime reporter in Mumbai last June.

Jigna Vora, deputy bureau chief of the English-language daily Asian Age, is accused of murder and conspiracy in the killing of Jyotirmoy Dey.

Ms Vora, who was arrested in November, denies the charges.

Mr Dey had written articles critical of the underworld. Police say he was killed by a professional gang.

The court in Mumbai extended the remand of Ms Vora and other accused in the case until 12 March.

'Oil mafia'

Senior police officials have accused Ms Vora of conspiring to murder Mr Dey, but details of her alleged role have been sketchy. A possible motive is unclear.

Before he was killed, Mr Dey - who wrote under the byline J Dey - had submitted a number of stories on the city's "oil mafia", which sold adulterated fuel.

Mr Dey, 56, was returning home on 11 June when he was shot dead by four men on motorcycles, who sped away after the attack.

He was one of Mumbai's top journalists reporting on crime and had worked for leading newspapers like The Indian Express and Hindustan Times, before joining the Mid Day newspaper as the investigations editor.

Ms Vora, herself a crime reporter, has been charged under Maharashtra state's stringent Control of Organised Crime Act and the Arms Act. She also faces charges of destruction of evidence.