CBI registers four fresh cases against Chhota Rajan

The CBI has taken over the probe into an attempt to kill a veteran journalist in 1997 and three other fresh cases allegedly involving jailed gangster Chhota Rajan, officials said on Wednesday.

Baljeet Shersingh Parmar, a noted crime reporter in Mumbai, was severely injured after motorcycle borne shooters of Rajan allegedly attacked him outside a building at Antop Hill on June 12, 1997, they said.

The agency has taken over the Mumbai police FIR in the case filed under IPC sections related to attempt to murder, they said.

The agency has registered two more cases of extortion by alleged gang members of Rajan and one case related to issuing threats to life, the officials said.

The agency has booked Rajan and his henchmen Guru Satam and Suresh for allegedly demanding Rs 20 lakh as extortion money from businessman Devang Bipin Parikh in 1995, they said.

The other case pertains to alleged demand of Rs 25 lakh in 1998 from a man named Ghisulal Jain by Hemant, who is believed to be a member of Rajan gang, they said.

The Mumbai police had filed charge sheets in both the cases but Rajan remained absconding, they said.

The last case is related to threats issued to the life of builder Shabbir N Patel and his son in 1996, they said.

In November last year, the CBI had taken over 10 cases, including those of extortion and murder, in which Rajan was allegedly involved. These cases were registered in a 14-year period since 1992, they said.

These cases include killing of trade union leader Datta Samant in 1997 in Mumbai in which Rajan's role is suspected, they said.

Rajan was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25, 2015, and deported to India. He is an accused in around 70 cases in Maharashtra, including the J Dey murder case in 2011.

The Maharashtra government has handed over all these cases to CBI.