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Rajan held, but no extradition
request forthcoming

The authorities in Thailand are awaiting official documents from India seeking the extradition of gangster Chhota Rajan alias Rajendra Sadashiv Nikhalje, who was injured in a shootout in Bangkok on September 15.

Rajan's brother-in-law said he was considering legal action against the Thai authorities for detaining Rajan without an extradition request from the Indian authorities.

The Thai authorities continued to detain Rajan even as they awaited documents seeking his extradition from a three-member team of the Bombay police, which is in Bangkok to interrogate Rajan and collect details of the shootout.

"We are detaining Rajan under Article 54, which enables the police to detain foreigners for questioning on extradition matters," an immigration officer said.

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan told reporters on Monday that he had not seen any extradition request from India.

An initial deadline for Indian authorities to produce extradition papers expired last Thursday and the hospitalised Rajan -- known as Vijay Daman in Bangkok -- was declared free to leave the country.

But claims by three Indian detectives, who flew into Bangkok the same day, that Rajan's passport was false led to Thai police detaining him for further investigations.

The Indian embassy, however, had said his passport was genuine.

Rajan's brother-in-law Rajesh Sharma said on Monday that the family was discussing with lawyers what action to take against the Thai police for detaining Rajan without charges to give Indian police more time to produce extradition papers.

"How are the (Thai) police giving them (Bombay police) more time? Why is the Thai government so interested in asking the Indian authorities for extradition papers?" Sharma wondered.

"We are still hoping that the immigration police will realise there are no grounds for holding him," he added.

The Bombay police team is hoping to have Rajan extradited to India to face charges in 17 murder cases.

Sharma alleged that Maharashtra Home Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was behind efforts to extradite Rajan. He charged that the Bombay police were trying to get Rajan extradited at rival gangster Dawood Ibrahim's behest.

The saga first blew up when Rajan was wounded on September 15 by gunmen, who entered a Bangkok apartment and killed his associate Rohit Verma, also known as Michael D'Souza, in what appeared to be a shooting ordered by Ibrahim.

Three Pakistani men were among those arrested for the murder attempt.

Sharma, citing fears for Rajan's safety, refused to comment on Sunday on reports that once released, he would seek asylum in Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam, but he ruled out Rajan returning to India.

COMPLETE COVERAGE
The attack on Chhota Rajan

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