Volcano eruption plays spoilsport

Bali/Mumbai, Nov 4 (DHNS and PTI): Underworld element Chhota Rajan’s deportation was deferred on Tuesday due to the closure of the airport here as a result of the spewing of volcanic ash from a nearby mountain.

55-year-old Rajan was to be taken to India by a special aircraft on Tuesday night but he continued to be in detention in Denpasar.

Police Major Pande Sugiarta said the deportation was delayed until Wednesday because of volcanic ash spewing from Mount Rinjan on nearby Lombok Island. The Ngurah Rai International Airport here was closed due to the spewing of volcanic ash.

The Indian agencies were keen that the deportation takes place at the earliest and had put in a request to Indonesian authorities on Sunday itself, sources said.The process of deportation in such cases can take one to two days, a source said.

Meanwhile, the reverse countdown for the don’s arrival began in Mumbai. He was wanted for close to 50 crimes.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday morning that Rajan will be brought to Mumbai and security arrangements are in place, though he declined to divulge more details.

A Tweet from the Chief Minister’s Office later said there were “no statement/quote from CM @Dev_Fadnavis on Chhota Rajan case. Mumbai Police Commissioner shall brief on the official position soon."

Mumbai Police chief Ahmed Javed later told reporters that the city police would not stake claim for Rajan’s custody.

"He would eventually come here...There is no question of staking claim. We will go by the rules and adequate security and precaution will be taken while taking his custody," he said.

To a question on Rajan’s allegation that some in Mumbai police have links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the police chief said: "I do not want to respond to an allegation made by a gangster."

Fifty five-year-old Rajan was arrested in the Indonesian resort island after he landed there on a Garuda flight from Sydney.

He was captured after a tip-off from the Australian police. Indian intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been in touch with both Australian and Indonesian police for the last two months to capture and deport Rajan.

A team of CBI and Crime Branch officials have been in Bali and Jakarta to take care of the procedures for his deportation.