I'm not scared of any threat from rival gang: Chhota Rajan

Underworld don Chhota Rajan on Wednesday said he was not scared of threats to his life from rival gangs, including from Dawood Ibrahim, even as the Indonesia Police has provided him with special commando protection.

“I am not scared,” he said when reporters asked him if he was scared of threats to his life from rival gangs, including one headed by Dawood.

Arrested on arrival from Australia on Sunday, Rajan made the comments while being whisked away by police.

Bali Police spokesman Hery Wiyanto said they were aware of the threats faced by Rajan and he has been placed with special commandos for protection.

“We have all the measures in place to ensure that the prisoner’s security is not compromised. Since he is a foreigner, we have heightened security for him,” he told reporters.

Wiyanto said 55-year-old Rajan, whose original name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikhalje, seems to be doing fine and there is no particular behavioural problem with him. “If he is under pressure, he is not showing,” he said.

Bali Police Commissioner Reinhard Nainggolan said Rajan, once close confidant-turned-rival of underworld ganglord Dawood, repeatedly pleaded before the interrogators to free him as he wanted to go to Zimbabwe.

Nainggolan said the mafia don was medically fit, thus contradicting reports of him suffering from multiple ailments.

Asked when he would be deported to India, where he is one of the most wanted criminals, Wiyanto said the Bali Police was waiting for a team of officials from India to interrogate Rajan first.

“We are waiting (for the Indian team). We will coordinate with the Indian authorities to formulate on how to deport Chhota Rajan back to India,” he said.

Bali Police commissioner Nainggolan said arrest of Rajan was a serious law enforcement operation under the supervision of the Interpol.

Giving details about the circumstances leading to Rajan’s arrest, he said they had information from the Indonesia Interpol that someone with the name Mohan Kumar has to be arrested based on the passport number.

“(When we got him) We told him not to worry if he cooperates with us. We told him about the Red Corner Notice. We told him that your photo provided is the same. He wanted my help to set him free,” he said.

Asked whether Rajan was accompanied by someone else also, Nainggolan said Rajan came to Bali alone and the arrest was made in Bali as the Interpol was informed by Australia that they cannot arrest someone only on the basis of Red Corner Notice.

Asked whether it was suspicious for the Indonesian authorities to find Rajan alone as police, rival gangs and mafias were looking for him, he said, “Of course it is very suspicious.”

“When we caught him, he looked scared... He is smoking constantly,” Nainggolan said.

Wiyanto said Rajan’s interrogation in Bali would be confined only to questioning on fake identity charges.

“Enquiry will be confined to ascertain whether the identity is true or not and to ensure that we did not arrest the wrong person,” he said.

Chhota Rajan, one of India’s most wanted gangster, was arrested in Bali, Indonesia, on a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol after eluding law enforcement agencies for over two decades.

The arrest was made on a tip-off from Australian police that Rajan, the powerful aide-turned-rival of terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, has flown from Sydney to Bali.