State appoints prosecutor for Chhota Rajan

Senior lawyer Pradeep Gharat has been appointed as a special public prosecutor in all cases in which deported gangster Rajendra Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan is an accused, including the murder of journalist J. Dey. Advocate Gharat was the special public prosecutor in the trial in which Bollywood actor Salman Khan was convicted by a Sessions court in the 2002 Bandra drunk driving case. He was also the special public prosecutor in the stamp paper scam that resulted in the conviction of kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi.

Advocate Gharat confirmed the news and said that he was informed by the CBI that the notification had been issued appointing him in all cases in which Chhota Rajan would be tried.

It may be recalled that the Indonesian police arrested Rajan at Bali airport on October 25, 2015 after his arrival there from Australia. He was later deported to India. Rajan is facing around 70 cases in Maharashtra, including the J. Dey murder case. The Maharashtra government has handed over all the cases against him to the CBI.