Chhota Rajan exposes Mumbai police officers linked to Dawood Ibrahim

Underworld don Rajendra Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan, who was brought to New Delhi after being deported from Indonesia, has reportedly exposed the names of several Mumbai police officers on Dawood Ibrahim's payroll.

The gangster disclosed the names of some of the Mumbai cops, who are connected to the mastermind of 1993 Mumbai blasts' case, reported India Today.

Rajan, who arrived at Palam airport at 5:30am on Friday morning in a special aircraft from Bali, Indonesia, was later taken to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters, escorted by special commandos and SWAT team. 

The CBI has been given 24 hours custody of Chhota Rajan for interrogation.

The 55-year-old had earlier said that some of top Mumbai police officers are in touch with Dawood and that the Mumbai police had tortured him in the past.

Rajan, who has been absconding from India for two decades, was arrested by Indonesian police on a request of CBI in Bali on October 26, following a tip-off by the Australian Federal Police.

The mafia don is wanted in India for murder and extortion.

A two-member team of Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday met top Mumbai police officials including Police Commissioner Ahmad Javed in connection with the transfer of all cases pertaining to arrested mafia don Chhota Rajan, IANS reported.

The team is being briefed about the number of cases - numbering between 70-75 according to Javed, the types of cases which include murder, extortion, arms running, drug rackets, and status of sub judice matters like the journalist Jyotirmoy Dey murder case of June 2011.

Later, as announced by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K.P. Bakshi on Thursday evening, the Mumbai police will hand over all the documents, material evidences and other details to the CBI for carrying out its own independent probe.

Thereafter, the city police will not be part of investigations into any of the cases against the 55-year old don, who was flown in a special flight from Bali to New Delhi and landed here early on Friday day, 10 days after his arrest by Indonesian police on October 26.

While the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have castigated the move, terming it as a blow to the "morale" of Mumbai Police, even former top cops like ex-DGP D. Shivanandan expressed his disappointment on the transfer.