Chhota Rajan 'Z+ security threat' to society: CBI to Bombay High Court in Rajan bail plea

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday opposed the bail plea filed by underworld don Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje @ Chhota Rajan in Bombay High Court (Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje @ Chhota Rajan v. Central Bureau of Investigation & Ors.)..Rajan had moved the High Court by way of appeal assailing the August 2019 orders passed by special court in Mumbai convicting him of offences under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for attempting to murder industrialist Bailur Raghavendra Shetty in 2012..Rajan's bail plea was filed as part of the appeal challenging the order of the Special MCOCA Court.The Special MCOCA Judge AT Wankhede had sentenced Rajan to 8 years of imprisonment along with a penalty of Rs. 5 lakhs..Gangster Chhota Rajan moves Bombay High Court against three conviction orders of Mumbai MCOCA Court.Advocate Sudeep Pasbola appearing for Rajan, argued that there was no credible evidence against Rajan in the case. He prayed for parity with co-accused arguing that Rajan had been convicted under the charge of conspiracy and all other accused in the case, including those who were the actual assailants were released out on bail. Pasbola also argued that there was no direct evidence against Rajan but only hearsay statement by two witnesses, which was also not based upon their personal knowledge..Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat for CBI, opposed grant of bail contending that Rajan was no common criminal to be treated at par with other criminals. He argued that Rajan was a "Z plus security threat" to the nation as he had 71 cases against before the CBI, more than a 10 cases pending and a life sentence in one of them. Countering the prayer for parity, Gharat argued that his co-accused who were out on bail, had been in custody since 2009, while Rajan was in custody since 2016, in addition to the number of cases pending against him. Gharat also highlighted the circumstances under which Rajan had been caught after he fled from the country to different countries under different names after finally getting arrested in Bali. He had indulged in criminal activities and he was finally arrested and extradited to India in November 2015..After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Anuja Prabhudessai directed CBI to submit copies of the First Information Report against Rajan, the confessional witness statements in the case, and a list of Rajan''s criminal antecedents.The Court posted the hearing of the bail plea after two weeks.