Rajan had no intention to surrender: Govt sources

The arrest of Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje was a six-month long operation with CBI, Indian and international agencies working in tandem in overt and covert cooperation, Government sources claimed today as they tried hard to put to rest speculation that 55-year old Chhota Rajan offered himself to the agencies.

The sources said there was no question of Rajan willing to surrender as he was travelling with currency equivalent of Rs 10 lakh and 15 sets of cloths and was probably planning to escape to some country of his choice before being nabbed at Bali, Indonesia on a tip off from Interpol.

To buttress their claims, the sources said Rajan had no inclination to surrender as he had refused to sign surrender document in Bali.

Signing of this document would have meant that he be deported to India immediately.

Six months back during a review of most wanted fugitives with the Interpol at the highest levels of the Government, they said, CBI received an input about Rajan's presence in Australia, living under fake identity of Mohan Kumar, which triggered a secret operation in cooperation with international agencies to bring him back.

It emerged that following a life-threatening attack on him in 2000 by henchmen of Chhota Shakeel, Rajan had staged a dramatic escape from Bangkok and travelled all the way to Africa on fake identity of Vijay Kadam giving slip to CBI and other Indian agencies which had travelled to Thailand to bring him back, they claimed.

In 2003, he managed another Indian passport in Harare, Zimbabwe in the name of Mohan Kumar and shifted to Australia where he had been living ever since.

Since 2003, he kept shifting to a number of locations in Australia and nearby places as he handled operations of his gang which is believed to be very active and strong in South East Asian region besides avoiding any threat on his life from Karachi-based Dawood Ibrahim, his fiercest rival.

After getting the input of his presence in Australia, CBI tried to establish his identity by secretly obtaining his finger prints which matched with the database following with keeping a surveillance on his movements, the sources said.

They said getting him back from Australia would have been a tedious and nearly impossible task because of stringent local laws but an input came in blessing in disguise that his residency permit was getting over on October 31, 2015.

While Rajan, who was living as Mohan Kumar, was desperately trying to get it extended, Indian agencies including CBI started to block any possible extension of his residency permit in Australia through the engagement of various channels between the two countries.

The agencies which were keeping a tab on his movements came to know that Rajan was planning to move to Bali on October 25 six days before his residence permit in Australia was about to expire.

The sources claimed he chose Bali because of two possible reasons: his gang has strong presence in South East Asia and the possible threat from Dawood gang would be less.

The Australian Interpol in close cooperation with CBI informed Bali authorities that a fugitive having a Red Corner Notice is travelling to the tourist town on the fake identity of Mohan Kumar.

Upon his arrival, the immigration authorities spotted him and asked about his identity to which he told them his real name Rajendra Nikalje whereas he was travelling on the identity of Mohan Kumar which prompted his arrest.

The sources claimed according to local Indonesian laws, he could be kept in the custody of Indonesian police for 15 days and only after that he could have approached court.

Suspecting that once he approaches local court, it may result in long legal battle, which may or may not go India's way, to bring him back, CBI got his passport, which was valid till July 7, 2018, cancelled on October 31 so that he becomes persona non grata in Indonesia as well as his avenues to travel to other countries get blocked.

On the same day, a team of seven officials including those drawn from CBI, Mumbai Police and Delhi Police reached Bali from where he was brought back in a special aircraft.