Underworld don Chhota Rajan, who is lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody in an alleged fake passport case, will not be produced physically in the court for remand proceedings due to “serious” threat preception.
Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar said the remand proceedings in the case will be conducted through video conferencing from jail.
The court’s order came after the CBI moved an application, saying due to serious threat perception to Rajan from his rivals, it would be “extremely unsafe” to produce him in the open court and requested for conducting the proceedings through video conferencing.
“The accused (Rajan) is required to be produced on December 3. Therefore, I direct that further judicial remand of accused, who is lodged in Tihar Jail, shall be granted through video conferencing facility and accused need not be produced physically in the court,” the ordered.
“Copy of this application be sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent as well as to branch incharge of the computer branch, who is managing the court room having video conferencing facility,” the court said.
Rajan was sent to high-security Tihar prison in judicial custody on November 19 in connection with the case.
Deported after being on the run for 27 years, the 55-year-old gangster, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, was remanded in judicial custody in connection with the fake passport case.
Rajan, once a close aide of fugitive terrorist and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, has been brought to the country to face trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai.
After his arrest in Bali on October 25, India had pressed for his early deportation.
( Source – PTI )
