With deportation delayed, Chhota Rajan has Bali bemused

“To complete all the paperwork and legal procedures in a day or two is unprecedented in Indonesia but it’s being done keeping in mind the importance of the case,” Singh told The Indian Express. Compounding the Deportation delayed, Rajan has Bali bemused situation was the cloud of volcanic ash over the country that cancelled most flights and closed down the airport.

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At the police headquarters, meanwhile, the excitement triggered by their high-profile detainee left many bemused. For local police, he’s just what his passport says he is — Mohan Kumar — not Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje who is wanted in 20 cases in Mumbai alone.

“He doesn’t look like a dangerous criminal at all,” say the policemen who have been escorting him from his cell to the CID headquarters every day since he was detained after arriving from Australia on October 26.

“He is very calm and composed,” Herry Vianto, the police spokesperson told The Indian Express. “He is being deported but has hardly displayed any emotions. He has neither smiled nor appeared sad,” he added.

Rajan has been questioned by the Indian team of officials and investigators that arrived here Sunday to take him back, and indications are he has been “cooperative” while in lock-up.

On Tuesday, sources said, he seemed “a bit upbeat” as he received confirmation of his deportation — he even stopped to answer queries by reporters as he walked across to the CID headquarters in handcuffs.

Local residents, meanwhile, appeared amused at all the activity at the police office which usually shuts by 3 pm — a popular joke here refers to how criminals don’t operate after that in a tacit understanding with police.

“Not many of us had heard of him (Rajan) and still don’t know much about him,” said Kadak Arta, a 27-year-old local guide.

“Sometime ago, an Australian druglord was caught. He made much bigger news. But we do know though that he (Rajan) has a lot of Indian friends in Bali and have heard that he also owns many hotels here,” said Arta.

On Tuesday, as the action at the police headquarters finally wound up, the last sight was that of the guard at the gate watching on TV an Indian soap dubbed in Indonesian.