Mumbai, June 28: Mumbai police today refused to reveal the motive behind the murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey allegedly plotted by fugitive don Chhota Rajan.

Police officials interrogating seven men arrested on Sunday for allegedly carrying out the contract killing, primarily Ronee Joseph alias Satish Kalia, the man Rajan had called to organise the murder, said they now know the motive.

“Kalia was told of the motive and he has told us about it. But we want to verify his statement before saying anything on the matter,” said joint commissioner of police, (crime) Himanshu Roy.

The men have claimed they did not know Dey was a journalist until after the murder, and learnt about his identity from TV channels.

Sources said the police would investigate a trip made by Dey alone to the UK in May this year to see whether it has any links to the murder.

CCTV footage aired by some news channels showed four motorcycle-borne assailants following Dey before he was shot dead. The murder was not captured by the camera installed at a shopping centre in Powai area where Dey was killed.