Jigna Vora Biography: Meet The Real Face Behind Scoop Web Series, Know Her Career, Age, Net Worth, and More

Bigg Boss 17 Updates:  While the ongoing Bigg Boss Season 17 has introduced many fresh faces to viewers, there is one name that goes untamed, former Crime Journalist Jigna Vora. Jigna came to the spotlight after the Netflix series ‘Scoop’ starring Karishma Tanna, who took us on the inspiring journey of the renowned journalist, and her entry in Bigg Boss 17 has elevated her image as one of the strong contestants of the Salman Khan-hosted show. Jigna Vora made headlines in 2011 when she was arrested on suspicion of plotting with criminal Chhota Rajan to murder legendary crime reporter Jyotirmoy Dey.

Before entering Bigg Boss, Vora has witnessed many struggles in her life, both personally and professionally. Let us dive deep into her life, her education, family, marriage, and more.

Jigna Vora Early Life and Education

Jigna Vora was born in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, on February 22, 1974. She studied law at DG Ruparel College affiliated with the University of Mumbai. She also holds a certificate in mass communications from Mumbai’s K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management. One of her faculty members at K. J. Somaiya was a well-known crime reporter working for The Times of India, who piqued her interest in crime reporting.

Vora comes from a Gujarati family, and her father works in Dubai. Her mother, Harshaben, died on June 9, 2015, after a heart attack. Tulsidas Hargovindas is her grandfather. She quit her internship at a reputable firm in 1998 to get married and later relocated to Bharuch, Gujarat. In 2004, she returned to her maternal home in Garodia Nagar, Ghatkopar, with her four-year-old kid after divorcing her husband. She opted to pursue a profession in journalism while raising her son as a single mother.

Jigna Vora Career

She earned her first position as a court reporter at the Free Press Journal (FPJ) in November 2005, after finishing her formal studies, and worked there for ten months. Her first job was to cover gangster Abu Salem’s case at Arthur Road Jail’s TADA court. She developed a name for herself in crime reporting during the next six years, rising from intern reporter to Deputy Chief of Bureau at an English broadsheet. 

Jigna began her career as a court reporter for the Mumbai Mirror in 2006, covering the sessions court in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai. Vora covered the story of Sujata Nikalje, the wife of feared mobster Chhota Rajan, who was arrested in December 2005 for making extortion threats against a builder under the MCOCA. Vora thereafter began working for Mid-Day as a senior journalist for the Sessions Court. She worked with J Dey at midday. She joined Asian Age, a magazine of Deccan Chronicle, in May 2008. She filled the accounts of many accused as a reporter, including a bomb blast accused, the Neeraj Grover murder case accused, and so on. 

She was the Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Asian Age in 2011, prior to her arrest for suspected participation in J Dey’s murder. She became a consciousness healer and Aatmic Awareness instructor after having a spiritual transformation in prison. She teaches meditation sessions at her home and provides private healing method consultations. She also works as a professional tarot card reader out of her house.

Jigna Vora Controversy

J Dey was killed in a shooting by unidentified attackers on June 11, 2011, at Hiranandani Gardens in Powai, Mumbai. The assailants were later identified as hitmen of mafia Chotta Rajan. Jigna, who was serving as the Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Asian Age at the time, was arrested on November 25, 2011, for her suspected participation in the murder. 

The police stated that Vora provided Rajan with critical information about Dey, including his address and the number plate of his vehicle, in order for Rajan to plan the murder. She was accused under many sections of the IPC, including murder, criminal conspiracy, and evidence destruction, as well as the Arms Act. Himanshu Roy, the investigating officer, used telephonic records containing phone calls between Rajan and Vora to charge her with murder. The authorities also stated that Dey’s murder was motivated by Vora’s professional rivalry. The Police, on the other hand, lacked solid evidence to charge her. She was imprisoned for nine months in Mumbai’s Byculla Women’s Jail. 

Jigna Vora was granted bail by a special court on July 27, 2012, citing the fact that she was a single parent with a child. The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court convicted Chotta Rajan and eight other suspects in the case in 2018 but acquitted Vora due to a lack of evidence.

Jigna Vora Web Series

Vora wrote the book ‘Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Jail’ in 2019, detailing her arrest in connection with the murder of J. Dey, her time in jail, the court hearings, and her years as a crime reporter. Based on her memoir, Netflix launched the drama series ‘Scoop’ in 2023, directed by Hansal Mehta and starring Karishma Tanna in the lead role, for which she won the Most Promising Acting Award OTT and two overseas awards as Best Lead Actress and Best Asian Series at the Busan Film Festival 2023.

Jigna Vora Marriage

Jigna Vora married on December 4, 1998, after graduating from Ruparel College. It was an arranged marriage at the request of her parents, for which she left a prestigious law firm internship. Her parents said her spouse was an engineer who owned a printing press in Bharuch, Gujarat. However, she later realised the accusations were incorrect, resulting in a troubled marriage and separation. Jigna Vora is now a single mother with a son.