CBI asked to hand over Rajan's medicines to Tihar authorities

New Delhi, Dec 6: A Delhi court has directed CBI to hand over a bag containing medicines, which was found in possession of underworld don Chhota Rajan when he was arrested in Indonesia, to the superintendent of Tihar Jail where he is currently lodged under judicial custody.

The court's order came after Rajan's counsel filed a plea seeking direction to CBI's investigating officer (IO) to hand over the medicines to his client.

In its response to the plea, CBI said after being deported from Indonesia, Rajan was handed over to it by Interpol along with his belongings, including the bag of medicines, which was found in his possession at the time of his arrest on October 25.

The agency said the bag was not required for purpose of investigation but any medicine to be taken by Rajan in judicial custody must have prior approval of the jail doctors.

"Investigating officer is directed to hand over the bag containing medicines to the concerned jail superintendent, who shall provide those medicines to applicant/accused (Rajan) after taking prior approval of jail authorities," special CBI judge Vinod Kumar said.

The court also noted in its order that on December 3, when the accused was produced before it through video conferencing for remand proceedings, Rajan had requested his lawyer to file an application in this regard.

Deported after being on run for 27 years, the 55-year-old gangster, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, is lodged in the high-security Tihar Jail in connection with an alleged fake passport case.

Rajan, once a close aide of fugitive terrorist and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to the country to face trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai.

PTI