Indian investigating agencies have finally landed a big fish. Chhota Rajan, a notorious criminal and one of the biggest dons of Mumbai’s underworld, has been arrested in Indonesia and brought back to the country to be tried for a staggering 68 crimes. It is another issue that the agencies could have landed this catch much earlier.
The arrest of Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, better known as Chhota Rajan, will help crack several high-profile cases, police sources said. These include the murders of the trade union leader Datta Samant and the journalist Jyotirmoy Dey and a host of others and a number of extortion cases. The authorities, particularly the Intelligence Bureau (I.B.), are also hoping the gangster will reveal much-needed information on his arch-enemy and an even more dangerous criminal, Dawood Ibrahim. “This is questionable,” said a retired police officer who was closely involved in Rajan’s cases. “In all these years, Rajan has done little to lead them to Ibrahim. I don’t know how much use he will be. It might be too late. However, you never know, there may be a breakthrough.”
Chhota Rajan was taken into custody on October 26 when he landed at the picturesque island of Bali in Indonesia. According to police sources, he was travelling under the name of Mohan Kumar and flew in from Australia, where he had reportedly been living for several years. He was apparently travelling to renew his Australian visa.
This story is from the November 27, 2015 edition of FRONTLINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 27, 2015 edition of FRONTLINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How Not To Handle An Epidemic
The lockdowns were meant to buy time to put in place appropriate health measures and contain the coronavirus’ spread, but they have failed to achieve the objective and heaped immense misery on the marginalised sections of society. India is still in the exponential phase of the COVID-19 infection and community transmission is a reality that the government refuses to accept.
Tragedy on foot
As the COVID-19-induced lockdown cuts the ground beneath their feet in Tamil Nadu, thousands of migrant workers are trudging along the highway to the relative safety of their upcountry homes.
Sarpanchs as game changers
Odisha manages to keep COVID-19 well under control because of the strong participation of panchayati raj institutions and the community at the grass-roots level under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Scapegoating China
As the COVID-19 death rate spikes and the economy tanks in the United States, Donald Trump and his advisers target China and the World Health Organisation with an eye to winning the forthcoming presidential election.
New worries
Kerala’s measured approach to the pandemic and lockdown has yielded results. But it still has to grapple with their huge economic impact on its economy, which it feels the Centre’s special financial relief package does little to alleviate.
No love lost for labour
Taking advantage of the lockdown and the inability of workers to organise protests, many State governments introduce sweeping changes to labour laws to the detriment of workers on the pretext of reviving production and boosting the economy.
Capital's Malthusian moment
In a world that needs substantial reorienting of production and distribution, Indian capital is resorting to a militant form of moribund neoliberalism to overcome its current crisis. In this pursuit of profit, it is ready and willing to throw into mortal peril millions whom it adjudicates as not worth their means—an admixture of social Darwinism born of capital’s avarice and brutalism spawned by Hindutva. .
Understanding migration
When governments and their plans are found to be blatantly wanting in addressing reverse migration, exercises such as the Ekta Parishad’s survey of migrant workers throughout India can be useful to work out creative long-lasting solutions.
Waiting for Jabalpur moment
The Supreme Court’s role in ensuring executive accountability during the ongoing lockdown leaves much to be desired. Standing in shining contrast is the record of some High Courts.
An empty package
The Modi regime, which has been unable to control the COVID-19 infection, restore economic activity and provide relief to millions exposed to starvation, trains its sights on Indian democracy, making use of the panic generated by fear and a lockdown that forecloses paths of resistance.
