Chhota Rajan makes startling claim, says Indian agencies gave him fake passport

Gangster Chhota Rajan said Dawood Ibrahim's men were trying to murder him in Bangkok in 2000 as he had helped the "fight against terrorists" and those behind 1993 Mumbai blasts.

New Delhi: Gangster Chhota Rajan on Wednesday claimed that the Indian agencies provided him with a passport in the name of Mohan Kumar.

Appearing before a special court, Rajan said Dawood Ibrahim's men were trying to murder him in Bangkok in 2000 as he had helped the "fight against terrorists" and those behind 1993 Mumbai blasts.

Rajan made the submissions before Special Judge Vinod Kumar while recording his statement as an accused in a fake passport case filed against him and three ex-passport officers.

"I have been involved in fighting against terrorists and those anti-India forces who are bent upon to damage our country and kill innocent citizens...I cannot take the name of persons who have helped me or to whom I have extended help in the fight against terrorism in the national interest.”

"When the henchmen of Dawood Ibrahim came to know that I am supplying information to Indian agencies in respect of Mumbai blasts perpetrators, they snatched my original passport from me in Dubai.”

"They tried to kill me but somehow, I was able to escape from Dubai and reached Malaysia. Thereafter, I went to Bangkok where an attempt on my life was made in 2000 by the henchmen of Dawood. That is why I was provided with a passport in the name of Mohan Kumar," he told the special court.

Claiming that after the Mumbai bomb blasts, he decided to take revenge and help Indian intelligence agencies, he said, "since 1993 I have been working constantly for my country and fighting those persons who want to damage our country."

"Unfortunately once a fight starts, there is no returning back and I have to keep my identity secret so that I can help those people who are involved in the protection of our territory," he said while deposing before the court via video conferencing from Tihar Jail where he is lodged.

The court had earlier framed charges for alleged offences of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy against Rajan and others in the case. The accused had pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. The charges were framed against Rajan for allegedly procuring a fake passport in the name of Mohan Kumar with the help of three government officials, also accused in the case.

The court had ordered a trial in the case on a daily basis noting that Rajan was in judicial custody for a long period and trial should be started on a day-to-day basis.

Besides Rajan, the court has also put on trial three retired public servants.

The four accused have been charged with alleged offences under sections 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 467(forgery of valuable security or will), 419(cheating by impersonation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 12 (offences and penalties) of the Passport Act.

Besides this, the court framed charge against the retired public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI had earlier told the court that the government officials had conspired to issue the passport to Rajan in name of one Mohan Kumar, a non-existent person in complete violation of procedures.

It had told the court that Rajan, currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody, was accused in several cases of heinous nature involving charges of murder and extortion and when in 1995, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him, he had used a new identity to escape.

Rajan has denied the allegation that he used a fictitious identity with the help of fake passport to escape the law as he was accused in several cases of heinous nature.

(With PTI inputs)