Bengaluru (DHNS): The Karnataka State police have obtained extradition orders against overseas fugitive and underworld don Bannanje Raja, who was arrested by the Morocco police and Interpol in February 2015.
A six-member State police team, led by Bengaluru’s Additional Commissioner of Police (West) C H Pratap Reddy, will fly to Morocco in a couple of days.
Raja will be brought to Karnataka within a week to face trial in various courts, Director General and Inspector General of Police Om Prakash told a press conference on Friday.
The state police had made an extradition request through CBI, Interpol wing, Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Embassy in Morocco. The highest court of Morocco has granted permission. The state government received an official confirmation on August 5, 2015, he said.
“Bannanje Raja alias Rajendra, a native of Malpe in Udupi, is a wanted underworld don. In 2009, a Red Corner Notice was served by Mangaluru police against him and the Interpol had also issued a notice to every country about Raja,” Om Prakash said.
On February 12, 2015, Raja was arrested by the Interpol and Morocco police, based on information provided by the Indian intelligence agencies. Immediately, a provisional request was sent to Moroccan authorities to retain him in their custody. The state police had invoked Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act, 2000 (KCOCA) against Raja.
“As there was limited time, we prepared documents relating to three cases booked against Raja. Later we asked the authorities at Morocco to extend time so that we can submit more documents related to other cases. They agreed and granted us 30 days time and we prepared the documents pertaining to 14 major cases. The dossier weighing around 100 kg was sent to the Morocco authorities, requesting his extradition. It was humongous process to translate thousands of documents into English and French,” Om Prakash said.
The proceedings of the extradition were conducted by the highest court of Morocco (Court of Cassation). After verifying the documents, the court granted the extradition request.
Raja had three passports in his possession under different names, Krishna Kumar Kankanadi, Rahim Khaleel and Kumar Raj Hemanth Hegde. The passports were obtained from Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Mumbai. He had flown to Morocco using the passport under the name Hegde, the police said.
Very good news but the police should makes sure he does not escape from custody and the prosecution should mount fool-proof cases so that he goes behind bars for the rest of his life. This should send a strong message to organized crime.