Indian team in Bali to seek Chhota Rajan’s extradition

Bali, November 1

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An Indian police team reached Bali today to seek early deportation of arrested underworld don Chhota Rajan who received consular access with an Indian diplomat meeting him at an Indonesian police detention centre here.

The visit of the joint team of the CBI and Mumbai and Delhi police officers comes two days after India wrote to the Indonesian authorities for 55-year-old Rajan’s return to face trial in various criminal cases registered against him.

Rajan was nabbed at the Bali airport on his arrival from Australia on October 25. The team, which had left India in the wee hours today, has been provided security by Indonesian and Delhi Police commandos.

Earlier today, First Secretary (Consular) Sanjeev Kumar Agrawal at the Indian Embassy in Jakarta met Rajan for nearly half an hour at the detention centre, sources said. This is for the first time an Indian official met him in prison.

Agrawal flew this morning to Bali from Jakarta and drove straight to the police centre for his meeting with Rajan, one of India’s most-wanted criminals. The consular access to Rajan comes two days after the Indonesian police submitted a report to the Indian Embassy about Rajan’s detention.

“I am fighting against terrorism and will continue to do so,” Rajan told a TV channel while being escorted by the Indonesian police.

When Rajan was arrested at the Bali airport, he was carrying an Indian passport with the assumed name Mohan Kumar. Security of the Indian officials and Rajan has been enhanced due to the high threat perception to Rajan from rival gangs, most notably of Dawood Ibrahim. — PTI