Twitter
Advertisement

Indian envoy meets underworld don Chhota Rajan in Bali

Sanjeev Agrawal is the first Indian official to meet Chhota Rajan after his arrest.

Latest News
article-main
Indian envoy Sanjeev Agarwal meets Chhota Rajan in jail
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

First Secretary at Indian embassy in Jakarta (Indonesia) has arrived in Bali to meet Chhota Rajan on Sunday morning, according to ANI.

Sanjeev Agrawal is the first Indian official to meet Chhota Rajan after his arrest. Consequently, India has provided consular access to Chhota Rajan.  Speaking to ANI, Agarwal said, "Yes I have come for the consular access only. It was also a meeting."

According to Zee Media, Bali police had earlier said that word is awaited from the CBI to take Rajan's extradition process forward.

At the time of his arrest, Rajan was holding a passport in the name of Mohan Kumar. In an official release on October 30 confirming his identity as Rajendra Nikalkje, Indonesian police stated he was involved in more than 20 cases of murder.

Bali police spokesperson Hery Wiyanto said Nikalje will be transferred to the custody of Bali police for now, until Indian intelligence takes custody of him. Bali Police have been coordinating with the Indian Consul General in Bali to notify Nikhalje's arrest and repatriation process to India.

The Indonesian police are questioning Rajan to ascertain why he had come to the country on a tourist visa for 15 days. The release added that Nikalje was in Australia for the past year but could not be arrested as Australian authorities did not act upon the Interpol RCN. Sources said though Australia has entered into an extradition treaty with India, Canberra did not want to risk a gang war on Australian soil after his arrest.

Nikhalje was arrested on the basis of an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued against him by Indian police on October 12, 1994. According to sources, Rajan had come prepared for his arrest when he landed at Bali from Sydney, with light luggage, and offered no resistance.Intelligence sources said he had smiled at Indonesian officials and appeared unsurprised that he was being arrested. He also revealed his true identity in spite of carrying a fake passport.

Mumbai police sources said Australian agencies became aware of Rajan's presence in their country early this year, when Dawood dispatched his lieutenant Chhota Shakeel to kill Rajan in New South Wales's Newcastle city.

Their suspicions were confirmed by an anonymous phone call to Australian federal police which revealed the fugitive gangster's passport details and confirmed that he was indeed in Australia.

Sources added that the Australian authorities did not want him in their country, and had made this `very clear' to the Indian government.With Australia mounting pressure for his extradition ­ the countries have an extradition treaty in place -Indian authorities scrambled to find a safe place for Rajan to stay.

Finally, Indonesia was chosen as it is yet to sign an extradition treaty with India, and keeping Rajan in custody at an offshore location would give Indian authorities room to manoeuvre. The extradition treaty, incidentally, will be signed when Vice President Hamid Ansari travels to Jakarta in the first week of November.

Meanwhile, Mumbai police sources claimed that a five-member team from crime branch including a DCP-rank officer will be flying to Bali along with a CBI officer to execute the RCN against of Chhota Rajan.

"The standard operating procedure requires the Ministry of External Affairs to request the Indian Consul General in Bali to take steps regarding Rajan's status. However, given the time it takes for processing, we have made arrangements for a team to leave for Indonesia early next week with a letter of authorisation," a Mumbai police officer, who declined to be named, said.

A Mumbai police team has also finished translating and digitising documents related to cases pending against Chhota Rajan, including the one in which an RCN was issued for the murder of journalist J Dey.

Dismissing reports that he had surrendered to police, underworld don Chhota Rajan on Thursday had said he wants to go back to India, where he is one of the most wanted criminals.

"I did not surrender," he told reporters when asked about speculation that he had given himself up to police after facing threats to his life from rival gangs, including one from Dawood Ibrahim and under a deal with Indian intelligence agencies.

He also denied he was scared of Dawood. There is intense speculation that the arrest of the gangster, who is wanted in over 75 heinous crimes ranging from murder, extortion to smuggling and drug trafficking, was part of a 'deal' with Indian security agencies.

Once a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, who fell apart after 1993 bombings and became his arch-rival, 55-year-old Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Mohan Kumar alias Chhota Rajan is wanted in several criminal cases that include extortion, murder, smuggling, drug trafficking and film finance. He is wanted in 17 murder cases and several cases of attempted murder.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement