Rajan was detained from a popular luxury resort in Bali.
By Dileep Thekkethil
Two decades after the Interpol listed Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan (Little Rajan) as one of the most wanted criminals, the infamous Mumbai don was arrested by the Indonesian police on Sunday.
According to AFP, Rajan was detained from a popular luxury resort in Bali based on a tip of from Australian authorities after he arrived in Indonesia from Sydney.
“We received information from police in Canberra yesterday (Sunday) about the red notice for a murderer,” a spokesperson of the Bali police told AFP.
The 55-years old Indian gangster had been on the run for close to two decades after the Interpol slapped a red corner notice against him over multiple offences.
Rajan was a former key aide and lieutenant of Dawood Ibrahim, but their relationship strained after the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast. He is a most wanted criminal for cases related to murder, conspiracy, common intention, possession and use of illegal firearms, organized crime syndicate and illegal film financing.
“We arrested the man at the airport yesterday (Sunday). What we know is that this man was suspected to have carried out 15 to 20 murders in India”, the Bali police official added.
The Bali police had coordinated with the Interpol and Indian authorities before the launch of the operation that led to the arrest of Chhota Rajan, who is also known as “NANA”. Rajan is likely to be handed over to the Indian authorities.
An Australian Federal Police spokesperson said to AFP that the Canberra Interpol alerted the Indonesian authorities on the movement of the dreaded don and he was arrested at the request of the Indian authorities.
Last month, the federal police had confirmed that Chhota Rajan was living in Australia under a fake identity and since were in consultation with the Indian authorities to make the next move.
According to the Interpol website, Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje was born on December 05, 1959, in Bombay and can speak languages such as Marathi, Hindi and English. He is wanted for multiple charges including murder and possession and use of illegal firearms.