Chhota Rajan's sisters, who were allowed to meet the arrested don on Friday, said that criminal cases filed against their brother were 'false' and that the government of India should take a humanitarian approach while dealing with their brother. "The cases against my brother were filed in the last 20 years during which he was not in India to defend himself. The cases are false," said Sunita Chavan, who is currently based in Chembur area of Maharashtra. The family of the underworld don, who is currently in CBI custody, had appealed to the "compassionate" side of the court, to "be allowed to meet" their brother for "Bhai Dooj" "after 27 years".
"We want true justice to be served. I have faith in the Indian judicial system," she added.
"I am meeting my brother after almost 30 years. This is a big moment for me. I had dreamed of this moment for a very long time," the sister told dna moments before she was accompanied by security officials to meet Rajan.
She also said that all the other siblings wished to meet Rajan as well but couldn't do so due to security restrictions. Rajan has five other siblings, all of them are based in Maharashtra. One of his elder brother passed away recently, Sunita said. The plea requesting permission to meet Rajan was filed through advocates Rajiv Jain and Gajinder Kumar. The plea stated that the two women — Sunita Sakkharam Chavan and Malini Sakpal — are the "real sisters" of Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, alias Chhota Rajan, and "have not met their brother for the past so many years," and "wish to bless him". "The investigation is ongoing. All that the family wanted was to meet my client on the occasion of the festival. We had asked the court to grant the permission on humanitarian grounds ," Mr Kumar told dna.
After being allowed the permission to meet Rajan, both the sisters, on Friday, arrived at the CBI headquarters in the evening and were taken to a visiting room in the headquarters where the underworld don is currently being held. The family also spoke about their concerns on the possibility of taking Rajan to Mumbai for questioning by the local police there. "It would be better if investigation is carried out here without him being taken to Mumbai. It is a very sensitive case," said another family member who wished not to be named.
The family member also said that the government should take note of the 'health condition of the aging don'. "All these years he (Rajan) has proven to be of 'great help' to Indian government," the family member added. Out of more than two dozen cases, Rajan is also being investigated for the murder of wanted underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Bakhtiyar Ahmed Khan alias Phillu Khan who was allegedly lured to a hotel room in Bangkok, where he was tortured to death. It is believed that Khan was betrayed by his sidekick Mangesh "Mangya" Pawar who along with Khan were accused of being involved in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. After being on the run for more than two decades Rajan, was arrested in Bali on October 25, 2015 by Indonesian police which was acting on a tip-off by the authorities in Australia.
Out of the 70 cases, Rajan is accused in 17 murder cases including that of a journalist. The don is also accused of cases of attempted murder, extortion, smuggling and drug trafficking.
