15 of 75 cases against Rajan are triable, Mumbai police tell CBI

After analysing each case against gangster in and around Mumbai, crime branch officers brief CBI on the dozen or so that would stand up in court

The Mumbai police have informed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has taken over all pending cases against the gangster following his deportation from Indonesia, that 15 of the 75-odd cases registered against him in and around Mumbai are prosecutable.

Indonesian police escort Chhota Rajan to the airport in Bali. (REUTERS)

Officers from the Mumbai police’s crime branch met senior CBI officers on Friday and briefed them about the most important cases against Rajan.

During the hour-long briefing, the Mumbai police told their CBI counterparts which cases against Rajan were backed by strong evidence and reliable witnesses. Most of these cases are from 2000 onwards, an official said.

Since Rajan was arrested in Bali on October 25, the Mumbai police have been going through all his case papers to assess the merits of each case. The crime branch also asked all public prosecutors to analyse the strength of the evidence in the cases they have been handling.

“There is still no clarity on where the cases will be tried – though it ought to be the special CBI court. It is also unclear whether the Delhi wing of CBI will conduct the investigation itself or take help from the Mumbai wing. The CBI may even ask the Mumbai crime branch for help, in which case we will provide everything that is needed,” said a crime branch officer, who did not wish to be named.