Gangster Chhota Rajan had allegedly got issued his passport twice from Indian missions abroad on the basis of a fake travel document issued to him in the name of Mohan Kumar from Bengaluru passport office in 1998, the CBI charge sheet filed against him on Tuesday said.
The agency which had registered a case of fake passport against the underworld don, who was arrested in the tourist town of Bali, Indonesia, while travelling on fake documents filed its charge sheet against him and three former officials of Bengaluru passport office at Patiala House court on Tuesday.
CBI alleged Rajan had got his first fake passport A6705840 issued from Bengaluru on January 1, 1998 with the connvinace of passport officers–Jay Shree Rahate, Deepak Natvarlal Shah and Lalitha Laxamanan–in the name of a fictitious person Mohan Kumar, the sources said. They said these officers allegedly ignored rules and regulations of verification while issuing the passport on fake identity and address. They said the investigation is still open and the role of police officials who would have conducted physical verification is under scanner.
Sources said on the basis of this document he allegedly got it re-issued under a different number Z1017162 on December 19, 2003 from High Commission of India in Harare, Zimbabwe and later under number G9273860 from India’s Consulate General in Sydney. Rajan was apprehended while travelling on the passport number G9273860 issued in Australia where he was living as Mohan Kumar, they said.
“He had stayed in Zimbabwe and Australia under the fake identity of Mohan Kumar on the strength of the said passport which was fraudulently got issued from Passport Office, Bangalore,” CBI Press Information Officer R K Gaur said.
He said the agency has charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and under Provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Gaur said Rajan was detained by Indonesian Police at Bali on October 25, 2015 on his arrival from Australia following a Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol. Subsequently, he was handed over to CBI for deportation to India. He was deported to India on November 06, 2015. He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.
Maharashtra Government had handed over 71 cases against him to CBI.