CBI: Chhota Rajan was in Australia on fake passports since 2003

Underworld don Chhota Rajan was staying in Australia since 2003 and wanted to extend his residency period in the country to handle operations of his well-spread-out network in Southeast Asia smoothly.

Sources in the CBI, which got 10 days’ custody of Rajan in connection with an alleged fake passport case on Saturday, said, “Rajan allegedly used a fake passport to escape to Australia in 2003. He reached Australia on September 22, 2003 on the strength of the said passport and tourist visa and fraudulently obtained several different visas since then and continued to stay there till October 25, 2015.”

“The CBI held a meeting with the Interpol six months ago on high-value fugitives that led to the disclosure that Rajan was staying in Australia. Rajan’s residency period in Australia was to lapse on October 31. His network is still intact and strong in Southeast Asia,” sources said. Rajan was detained by the Indonesian police in Bali on October 25, 2015 on his arrival from Australia against a red-corner notice issued by the Interpol. Sources said he was subsequently handed over to CBI-Interpol (India) for his deportation to India on November 6, 2015.

Sources said the arrest of the underworld don was a six-month-long operation, with the CBI, Indian and international agencies working in tandem in overt and covert cooperation.