New Delhi: As volcanic ashes disrupted Indonesian airspace delaying deportation of Chhota Rajan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the underworld don will be brought back to India from that country very soon.
“Chhota Rajan will be back soon. He will be back very soon,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The Home Minister was replying to a question on when would Rajan, one of the most wanted criminals, would be brought back to India.
Indonesia has approved deportation of Rajan, arrested in Bali on November 25 after arrival from Australia, after an Indian police team submitted details of the cases in which he is wanted in India.
However, the deportation process is deferred due to the volcanic eruption at a nearby island of Bali. Local authorities had closed the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on Tuesday due to a large ash cloud drifting from Mount Rinjani, an active volcano on the nearby island, disrupting the country’s airspace.
Rajan continued to be in detention in Denpasar.
Indian agencies were keen that the deportation takes place at the earliest and had put in a request to Indonesian authorities on Sunday itself. Formalities for deportation have already been completed.
Rajan, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, was wanted in India for several years and was arrested following a tip off from Australian authorities.
Rajan is wanted in over 75 heinous crimes ranging from murder, extortion to smuggling and drug trafficking.
He was arrested in Bali on the basis of a Red Corner Notice from Interpol and following a tip off by Australian authorities to the police in Indonesia.
In 2000, there was an attempt on Rajan’s life when his arch rival and India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim’s men tracked him down to a hotel in Bangkok but he managed a dramatic escape.
—PTI