Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 11: Notorious underworld element Bannanje Raja has been arrested in Morocco, said sources.

Sources claimed that Raja was arrested in Casablanca on Tuesday February 10 by a special investigative team of India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Raja, who was understood to have been operating out of Morocco, was nabbed based on inputs by Karnataka police, it is learnt.

He is wanted in a number of cases, including murders, extortions, loot, kidnapping and so on in various places, particularly Mangaluru and Bengaluru. A red corner notice too had been issued against him, and the state police had taken the help of CBI to trace him. He was also known to have fled to Dubai and arrested from there in 2009.

Reports about him hiding in Morocco came to light after a hotelier refused to give into extortion threats and filed a complaint. During investigation, the intelligence agency officials learnt that he had gone underground in Morocco and taken the name of 'Hegde'.

It is learnt that Raja is not involved in any crimes within Morocco. The local Moroccan police have given 48 hours to submit information about the cases registered against Raja, sources said. The Bengaluru police are expected to leave for Morocco soon.