Chhota Rajan gets consular access

First Secretary (consular) Sanjeev Kumar Agrawal met Rajan for nearly half an hour at the detention in Bali

Underworld don Chhota Rajan, who was arrested on arrival from Australia, today received consular access with an Indian diplomat meeting him at Indonesian police's detention centre in this popular tourist city.

First Secretary (consular) Sanjeev Kumar Agrawal met Rajan for nearly half an hour at the detention centre here where he has been lodged since his arrest last Sunday, sources said.

Agrawal, who is based in Indian Embassy in Jakarta, flew in this morning to Bali and drove straight to the police centre for his meeting with 55-year-old Rajan, one of India's most wanted criminals.

The consular access to Rajan comes two days after Indonesian police submitted a report to the Indian Embassy about Rajan's detention.

When Rajan was arrested at the Bali airport, he was carrying an Indian passport with the assumed name Mohan Kumar.

Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh said on Friday that the process relating to Rajan's deportation to India has already begun but there is no deadline for it.

Rajan has also hired a lawyer, Fransico Prassar, who met him at the detention centre two days ago.

Rajan, whose original name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikhalje, has been questioned by the Indonesian police several times in the last few days to confirm his identity and criminal acts in India.

Rajan, who is wanted in over 75 heinous crimes ranging from murder, extortion to smuggling and drug trafficking was questioned both in English as well as in Hindi through a translator.

Mumbai-born Rajan, once a close confidante-turned-rival of underworld ganglord Dawood Ibrahim, has said that he is not afraid of Dawood, the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Rajan was arrested here on a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol after eluding law enforcement agencies for over two decades.

Out of these 75 cases, Rajan is facing four cases under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), one under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and over 20 cases under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).