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Chhota Rajan brought to India

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Chhota Rajan

New Delhi: After being on the run for the past 27 years, underworld don Chhota Rajan was brought here early this morning from Indonesia by a joint team headed by CBI officials for facing trial in various criminal cases registered against him in Delhi and Mumbai.

The 55-year-old gangster, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, will be kept in the national capital where he will be questioned by sleuths of various investigating agencies as he has been making claims of having further evidence to nail India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and his links with Pakistan’s snooping agency ISI.

Immediately after his arrival here in an Indian Air Force Gulfstream-III aircraft from Indonesia’s Bali, Rajan, who is considered as a ‘friendly don’ as he reportedly tipped Indian security agencies about the movement of Dawood and his aides, was whisked away to an undisclosed location under tight security.

Official cars with flashing lights accompanied by heavy- armed escort vans were seen leaving the Palam Technical Area at around 5:30 AM, as anxious camerapersons and photographers made unsuccessful attempts to get a glimpse of the underworld don, who was in one of those vehicles with tinted glasses.

Rajan had told media in Bali that he was happy to return to his motherland and had rubbished reports that his arrest was orchestrated as he was facing threat from Dawood’s men.

Ahead of his arrival in India, Maharashtra government made a surprise announcement of handing over all the cases related to the underworld don to the CBI as the agency had expertise in handling such cases. This move comes barely a few days after the state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had been making claims that Rajan will be brought only to Mumbai.

The Maharashtra government’s sudden U-turn raised many eyebrows within the police establishment in the megalopolis as the Chief Minister himself had ordered for creation of a special cell inside Aurthur Road prison with medial arrangement of dialysis being made. Rajan is on dialysis as his both kidneys are not working.

Rajan, after his arrest, had expressed reservation over plans to lodge him in a Mumbai jail, fearing that his arch- rival and India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim may target him there.

Till the formalities of CBI to take over the Maharashtra cases are completed, Rajan will be in the custody of Special Cell of Delhi Police which has six cases registered against him.

Interestingly, CBI had told the Bombay High Court, while hearing petitions filed by the family members of murdered rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, that it was severely understaffed and required officers from the Maharashtra Police to assist it in the probe.

Rajan was arrested on the basis of an Interpol Red Corner notice at Bali airport on October 25 after he had arrived in the island city of Indonesia from Australia.

India was keen that the deportation takes place at the earliest and had put in a request to Indonesian authorities immediately after his arrest, sources said.

However, his deportation was deferred by a day as the international airport in Bali was shut down due to spewing of volcanic ash from a nearby mountain.

Immediately after his flight took off, Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh tweeted: “#ChotaRajan deported successfully to India. Delay due to Bali airport closure ends. Thanks Indonesia for support.”

Rajan is wanted in over 75 crimes ranging from murder, extortion to smuggling and drug trafficking.

Mumbai Police has nearly 70 cases registered against Rajan, including 20 of murder, four cases under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, one under Prevention of Terrorism Act and over 20 cases under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

Delhi Police has six cases registered against Rajan, who was a close aide of fugitive underworld don Dawood at one point but split before the 1993 Mumbai blasts were conspired.

In 2000, there was an attempt on Rajan’s life when Dawood’s men tracked him down to a hotel in Bangkok but he managed a dramatic escape by jumping from the first floor of the hotel.

Rajan had fled India in 1988 for Dubai.

(PTI)

Some in Mumbai Police work in tandem with Dawood: Chhota Rajan

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Chhota Rajan

Bali: Underworld don Chhota Rajan Tuesday alleged that “some members” in the Mumbai Police have links with wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and said he will keep on fighting against him.

“Some members of the Mumbai Police are working in tandem with Dawood. I will keep on fighting against terrorism and Dawood. I am not scared of Dawood,” said Rajan, a close confidante-turned-rival of Dawood, the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Rajan, who was arrested in this popular tourist town on his arrival from Australia on October 25, is expected to be produced before a court soon where the Indonesian police will submit details of the cases for which he is wanted in India.

He is likely to be deported to India soon. “The entire process is likely to be completed in next two-three days,” an Indian official had said yesterday.

“The government can keep me anywhere – Delhi or Mumbai. But there should be no injustice done to me. All cases against me are false,” Rajan, who is wanted in over 75 heinous crimes ranging from murder, extortion to smuggling and drug trafficking, told reporters when asked whether he was afraid of returning to Mumbai.

“Mumbai police has been unjust to me. Delhi government taking note of that should do justice to me,” he said.

An Indian team has been working with its Indonesian counterparts to take over Rajan’s custody.

The Indian team, comprising officers from CBI, Mumbai and Delhi police, arrived here on Sunday and they came along with a detailed dossier on 55-year-old Rajan and his involvement in various crimes in India.

The team for the first time questioned him yesterday in the presence of Indonesian police at the detention centre where he has been lodged for the last 10 days.

(PTI)

I am not scared of threat from rival gang: Chhota Rajan

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Chhota-Rajan

Bali: Underworld don Chhota Rajan today said he was not scared of threats to his life from rival gangs, including from Dawood Ibrahim, even as the Indonesia Police has provided him with special commando protection.

“I am not scared,” he said when reporters asked him if he was scared of threats to his life from rival gangs, including one headed by Dawood.

Arrested on arrival from Australia on Sunday, Rajan made the comments while being whisked away by police.

Bali Police spokesman Hery Wiyanto said they were aware of the threats faced by Rajan and he has been placed with special commandos for protection.

“We have all the measures in place to ensure that the prisoner’s security is not compromised. Since he is a foreigner, we have heightened security for him,” he told reporters.

Wiyanto said 55-year-old Rajan, whose original name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikhalje, seems to be doing fine and there is no particular behavioural problem with him. “If he is under pressure, he is not showing,” he said.

Bali Police Commissioner Reinhard Nainggolan said Rajan, once close confidant-turned-rival of underworld ganglord Dawood, repeatedly pleaded before the interrogators to free him as he wanted to go to Zimbabwe.

Nainggolan said the mafia don was medically fit, thus contradicting reports of him suffering from multiple ailments.

Asked when he would be deported to India, where he is one of the most wanted criminals, Wiyanto said the Bali Police was waiting for a team of officials from India to interrogate Rajan first.

“We are waiting (for the Indian team). We will coordinate with the Indian authorities to formulate on how to deport Chhota Rajan back to India,” he said.

Bali Police commissioner Nainggolan said arrest of Rajan was a serious law enforcement operation under the supervision of the Interpol.

Giving details about the circumstances leading to Rajan’s arrest, he said they had information from the Indonesia Interpol that someone with the name Mohan Kumar has to be arrested based on the passport number.

“(When we got him) We told him not to worry if he cooperates with us. We told him about the Red Corner Notice. We told him that your photo provided is the same. He wanted my help to set him free,” he said.

Asked whether Rajan was accompanied by someone else also, Nainggolan said Rajan came to Bali alone and the arrest was made in Bali as the Interpol was informed by Australia that they cannot arrest someone only on the basis of Red Corner Notice.

Asked whether it was suspicious for the Indonesian authorities to find Rajan alone as police, rival gangs and mafias were looking for him, he said “of course it is very suspicious”.

“When we caught him, he looked scared…He is smoking constantly,” Nainggolan said.
Wiyanto said Rajan’s interrogation in Bali would be confined only to questioning on fake identity charges.

“Enquiry will be confined to ascertain whether the identity is true or not and to ensure that we did not arrest the wrong person,” he said.

Chhota Rajan, one of India’s most wanted gangster, was arrested in Bali, Indonesia, on a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol after eluding law enforcement agencies for over two decades.

The arrest was made on a tip off from Australian police that Rajan, the powerful aide-turned-rival of terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, has flown from Sydney to Bali.

(PTI)

Home Ministry confirms arrest of Chhota Rajan in Indonesia

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Gangster Chhota Rajan arrested in Bali. Photo: NCB-Interpol Indonesia

Gangster Chhota Rajan arrested in Bali. Photo: NCB-Interpol Indonesia

New Delhi: Fugitive Chhota Rajan, wanted over a series of murders in India, has been arrested in Indonesia after decades on the run, police said on Monday.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh and CBI confirmed the arrest of underworld don Chhota Rajan in Indonesia. “Bali Police arrested Chhota Rajan yesterday at CBI’s request made through Interpol,” said CBI Director Anil Sinha.

The CBI in its official statement said, “At the request of CBI (Interpol) India, the Bali police has arrested an Indian national, Mohan Kumar on 25 October 2015. Mohan Kumar alias Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan is a fugitive and CBI has been pursuing the matter with Australian authorities. This is a good and close cooperation between India, Australia and Indonesia. We thank Indonesia and Australia for their prompt action at our request. Further action will be taken as required under the law.”

Acting on a tip-off from Australian police, Indonesian authorities detained Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, alias ‘Chhota Rajan’ on Sunday as he arrived in the popular resort island of Bali from Sydney, Bali police spokesman Heri Wiyanto told AFP.

The 55-year-old Nikalje, an alleged crime boss in India, had been on the run for two decades, Wiyanto said, with Interpol flagging him as a wanted man back in 1995.

“We received information from police in Canberra yesterday (Sunday) about the red notice for a murderer,” he said.

“We arrested the man at the airport yesterday. What we know is that this man was suspected to have carried out 15 to 20 murders in India.”

Bali police were coordinating with Interpol and Indian authorities, Wiyanto said, adding it was likely Nikalje would be deported to India.

A spokesperson for Australian Federal Police said Interpol in Canberra had alerted Indonesian authorities “who apprehended Nikalje at the request of Indian authorities”.

The federal police confirmed last month that Nikalje was living in Australia under another identity and had been in discussions with Indian authorities, the spokesperson said, but would not provide further details.

Interpol’s website states that Nikalje was born in Mumbai and was wanted for multiple charges including murder and possession and use of illegal firearms.

(Agencies)

Chhota Rajan arrested in Bali, says report; others say it’s Cyanide Mohan

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Chhota-Rajan

Jakarta: Indonesian police officials said that they have arrested a wanted criminal from India in Bali but there was little clarity on whether it was gangster Chhota Rajan, who has been on the run for decades, or serial killer Mohan Kumar better known as ‘Cyanide Mohan’.

Acting on a tip-off from Australian police, Indonesian authorities detained Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje better known as Chhota Rajan on Sunday as he arrived in the popular resort island of Bali from Sydney, Bali police spokesman Heri Wiyanto told media.

 

The 55-year-old Nikalje, an gangster from India, had been on the run for two decades, Wiyanto said, with Interpol flagging him as a wanted man back in 1995.

“We received information from police in Canberra yesterday (Sunday) about the red notice for a murderer,” he said.

“We arrested the man at the airport yesterday. What we know is that this man was suspected to have carried out 15 to 20 murders in India.”

Tribun Regional reported that the person arrested was Mohan Kumar but the photograph used to identify him bears closer resemblance to Nikalje.

However, another police official said that the arrested individual was Mohan Kumar, a former Indian primary school teacher, facing the death penalty for the murders of 20 young women.

Mohan Kumar is accused of using cyanide to kill the women from 2003 to 2009. A court in the southern Indian city of Mangalore sentenced him to death in December 2013.

Bali police were coordinating with Interpol and Indian authorities, Wiyanto said, adding it was likely Nikalje would be deported to India.

A spokesperson for Australian Federal Police said Interpol in Canberra had alerted Indonesian authorities “who apprehended Nikalje at the request of Indian authorities”.

The federal police confirmed last month that Nikalje was living in Australia under another identity and had been in discussions with Indian authorities, the spokesperson said, but would not provide further details.

Interpol’s website states that Nikalje was born in the Indian city of Mumbai, and was wanted for multiple charges including murder and possession and use of illegal firearms.

However, the official from Denpasar said that they had arrested Kumar based on a red corner notice from Interpol.

Kumar was arrested Sunday after arriving at Bali’s airport from Sydney, based on a red corner notice from Interpol and following a tip from Australian authorities, said Denpasar Police chief detective Reinhard Habonaran Nainggolan.

Media in India have portrayed Kumar, 56, known as Cyanide Mohan, as a serial killer who preyed on women looking for marriage.
Nainggolan said police were questioning Kumar and coordinating with Indian diplomats.

He said Kumar told police that he had been hiding in Australia for years to avoid arrest, and had planned a 15-day vacation in Bali.

Kumar faces possible deportation, which could happen in days, or extradition, which could take more than a month, Nainggolan said.

(Agencies)

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