Arguments on charges in Rajan's fake passport case from May 18

A court here on Monday said that arguments on charges in a fake passport case against underworld don Rajendra Sadashiv Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan will be heard from May 18.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Vinod Kumar fixed May 18 for hearing arguments on charge in the case after taking cognisance of the supplementary chargesheet filed in the case.

The CBI, in its chargesheet, alleged that Chhota Rajan got his fake passport from Bengaluru in 1998-99 allegedly in connivance with then passport officers -- Jayashree Dattatray Rahate, Deepak Natvarlal Shah and Lalitha Lakshmanan -- in the name of fictitious Mohan Kumar.

The three are out on bail while Rajan is under judicial custody till May 18.

The probe agency has booked Rajan and others on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, cheating by impersonation and forgery of documents under the Indian Penal Code.

Rajan is wanted in over 85 cases, ranging from murder to extortion, smuggling and drug trafficking. He has cases pending against him in Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and with the CBI.

The don, held by Indonesian police on October 25, 2015, was deported to India on November 6, 2015.

--IANS

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