J Dey trial: CBI drags its feet over producing Chhota Rajan in court

It is unlikely that underworld don Chhota Rajan will be transferred to Mumbai in time for the hearing in the murder trial of mid-day journalist J Dey, even though the Special MCOCA court had on December 22 issued a production warrant for him to Tihar Jail, where he is currently lodged. The court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, but the Mumbai Police and Crime Branch are yet to be notified whether Rajan aka Sadashiv Nikalje will be transferred from Delhi to Mumbai and what kind of protection should be provided for the hearing.

Chhota Rajan is escorted from a holding cell at the Bali police headquarters ahead of his deportation to India in November. File pic

It will be the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) responsibility to transfer Rajan, and the Mumbai Police's to provide adequate protection during the hearing here. Of the 74 cases the Mumbai police has transferred to the CBI, yesterday, the central agency registered its second case against Rajan - the murder case of mid-day journalist J Dey. The first case was about a fake passport the gangster was using during his stay in Australia (See ‘CBI brushes off RTI query').

"We have just registered a case against gangster Chhota Rajan in J Dey murder case. We are yet to take a call about the production warrant," said R K Gaur, CBI spokesperson.

The CBI has demanded that one court should deal with all of Chhota Rajan's cases in the city. Accordingly, the state wrote to the Bombay High Court and the bench appointed Judge Sameer S Adkar for Rajan's cases.

"The CBI and Crime Branch officers will be present in the special MCOCA court and are likely to ask Judge A L Pansare for more time to produce Rajan. They will also seek clarification whether the J Dey murder case will be transferred to Judge Adkar, and whether they should produce Rajan or carry out a video conference directly in that court," said a Crime Branch officer.