Former Mumbai cop smells political conspiracy behind Rajan's claim

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retd.) (ACP) Shamsher Pathan on Tuesday downplayed underworld don Chhota Rajan's claim that some Mumbai cops are linked to Dawood Ibrahim and said that there might be some conspiracy behind such an assertion.

"There seems to be a conspiracy in this statement by him. Maybe he doesn't want to come to the Mumbai Police or he is being saved from the Mumbai Police," he told ANI.

Pathan said the government should not ponder much over his statement and hand him over to the Mumbai Police as most of his cases are registered with them.

"So if the case has to be probed properly, then a special team of honest officers from the Mumbai Police must be created. And I think High-court's sitting judges must supervise this probe. So that the truth comes out," he added.

Pathan further said that he suspected the involvement of various politicians and businessmen in compelling Rajan to make a statement against the Mumbai Police.

"He is being forced to say this just so that he is not handed over to the Mumbai Police. There may be involvement of some politicians and some businessmen who don't want him to be handed over to the Mumbai Police. They may be scared that their names will come out in the open if Rajan goes to the Mumbai Police," he said.

"Maybe they want to take him to Delhi and form a special team and achieve selective targets. Because I think that if he comes to Mumbai Police, he will be questioned closely and the truth would be gathered from him. Maybe he doesn't want to spill out some beans. And now that he has defamed the police, he will not be spared," he added.

Rajan, who was arrested in Bali, had earlier claimed that some Mumbai Police officials worked hand in hand with India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

Rajan was arrested on the basis of a Red Corner Notice from Interpol and following a tip-off by Australian authorities to the police in Indonesia.

Rajan was once a close confidante of Dawood, the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.