A lot of the chatter on social media is restricted to one question: how will India be able to arrest and charge Chhota Rajan when it doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Indonesia? India’s treaty is pending ratification, and it may happen as early as the following Sunday.
Extradition Treaty Not Necessary
However an extradition treaty may not be necessary. Indonesia can simply choose to deport Chhota Rajan to India. Anil Wadhwa, the Ministry of External Affairs Secretary has said:
The extradition treaty...we have to exchange letters. That will happen during the visit [of Vice President Hamid Ansari]. We don’t need a formal extradition treaty, there are other ways for people to be sent to other country. It has happened earlier. At the moment, the issue is on track and our ministries are in touch each other.
Vice President Hamid Ansari is due to visit Indonesia from Nov 1-4. However, from the point of view of Chhota Rajan being handed over to India, we will not need an extradition treaty.
(With reporting from Poonam Agarwal)
Indonesia to deport Chhota Rajan?
The Associated Press (AP) is quoting Indonesian authorities as saying that they will deport him to India.
Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, known in India as “Chotta Rajan,” was on the Interpol’s most wanted list for two decades, said Bali police spokesman Heri Wiyanto.
Wiyanto said police were questioning Nikalje in the Bali police headquarters in Denpasar, the provincial capital, and coordinating with Indian diplomats for a deportation process. He held an Indian passport when he arrived in Denpasar, about 968 kilometers (602 miles) east of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
“This man is suspected to have been involved in more than 20 murders in India,” said Wiyanto, “We will deport him this week.”
“The information we have received is that the identification and verification of Chotta Rajan is going on,” said India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh. He thanked the Indonesian government and Interpol, and added, “We will take necessary action once the formalities are over.”
Another official, the Denpasar Police chief detective Reinhard Habonaran Nainggolan told reporters earlier that the man’s name was Mohan Kumar, 56, known in Indian media as Cyanide Mohan, a serial killer who preyed on women looking for marriage.
Wiyanto said the previous report on Kumar was wrong, but he refused to explain, while Nainggolan could not be reached for comments.
He said Nikalje told police that he had been hiding in Australia for seven years and flew to Bali by a Garuda Indonesia flight for vacation.
Finally, a visual ID of Chhota Rajan’s arrest! ANI has tweeted out a photograph courtesy NCB-Interpol Indonesia.
The CBI has issued a statement on Chhota Rajan’s arrest.
At the request of CBI (interpol) India, the Bali police has arrested an Indian national, Mohan Kumar on 25 October 2015. Mohan Kumar alias Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan is a fugitive and CBI has been pursuing the matter with Australian authorities. This is a good and close cooperation between India, Australia and Indonesia. We thank Indonesia and Australia for their prompt action at our request. Further action will be taken as required under the law.
—CBI Statement