.jpg "in the net: Chhota Rajan after being captured by the Indonesian police in October this year")
The year 2015 saw underworld don Chhota Rajan surrender “without resistance” after landing in Bali from Sydney, in October. What followed is a dramatic media and police frenzy over the gangster who had been absconding since the late 1980s.
Tug-of-war between Mumbai police and CBI
Ever since Rajan was arrested from Bali on October 26 this year, there has been confusion between Mumbai police and CBI over handling of the case against him. Mumbai police has maintained that no one from CBI has come forward to get details of cases against Rajan neither have they attended trial. Possibly why Mumbai police sent a letter to the government, asking the latter to specify whether CBI alone would investigate the case or they too should proceed with trials.
According to sources, CBI had asked for 11 out of 72 cases against Rajan to be handed over to them by Mumbai police. Till now, Mumbai police has sorted out seven MCOCA cases and a few others and handed over only FIR copies to CBI officials. However, chargesheets of the cases are also required and Mumbai police has been asked to submit the same in English. So, Mumbai police is now on the lookout for a translator to translate thousands of pages from Marathi to English. According to senior officials, the entire work of translation will take at least a year.
Meanwhile, police officials handling J Dey and two other MCOCA cases against Rajan have said, “Because of such delay, the people who have been arrested in the case are suffering. Also, it is difficult for us as to which decision to take. The whole process of CBI taking all the documents, then investigating the cases and standing trial will take so long. Till then, CBI should at least tell us whether we should handle the case or they will send someone from their side. That way, we can look after some of the cases.”
A CBI officer however said, “We have gone to every court to collect Rajan’s case details and got some documents and not others. The condition of the documents is really poor and no one can read a word. We are handling them with care and have started taking steps from our side.”
Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Crime Branch Unit Atulchandra Kulkarni said, “We are trying from our side and doing work as soon as possible. We have already created separate groups of officials to send documents to CBI and solve some of the confusion there. Now, just translation of the charge sheet will get over in some days.”
State transfers Rajan case to CBI
In the midst of all this confusion came the state government’s decision to transfer all Rajan cases to CBI, which took many by surprise. At the time, Additional chief secretary (ACS), Home, K.P. Bakshi said, “It has been decided after conducting a high-level meeting that we are transferring all cases against Rajan to the CBI. Officials of Mumbai police will help the agency with whatever assistance it requires. It is for the CBI to decide if it wants to keep Rajan in Delhi or in Mumbai. We have all possible arrangements ready if the CBI wants Rajan to be kept in Mumbai. The case is being handed over to the CBI because of its expertise in handling trans-national crimes.”
Rajan will not be produced by the CBI in MCOCA court on January 7 because of security concerns, sources said. Instead, CBI Investigation Officer will attend the trial and request for a further date and video conference with the arrested accused.
Currently, Rajan is lodged in Tihar Jail amidst high security. Sources said it will be dangerous for him to get out of prison and move to Mumbai. Both government and investigating agencies have decided that he will not move out of Delhi. “It is nearly impossible that CBI will bring Rajan to Mumbai. Mumbai police had asked for police custody of Rajan which was recently denied by CBI,” sources said.
On December 26, Chhota Shakeel, in an interview with Mail Today Journal, had said he could kill Rajan in Tihar jail itself. “Rajan should try to save his life while he is locked in jail. He will die in Tihar jail itself,” Shakeel had said.
Shakeel admitted that there had been many attempts to kill Rajan on foreign shores. “I had a copy of Rajan’s passport and other details but the agency helped him escape. I don’t regret that he fled. Today or tomorrow, we will kill him. We missed him in Bangkok and in Australia, he escaped before we could attack him. In Bali, we could not get the weapon in time. It was not a failure — he escaped before we could attack him,” Shakeel had said in the interview. He had added that his shooters were ready and the plan to kill Rajan was 100 per cent foolproof.
