Rajan to plead guilty in Thai court

Rajan to plead guilty in Thai court
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

BANGKOK, OCT 2: Underworld don Chhota Rajan, wounded in a shooting here, will plead guilty to charges of deceit before asking to be extradited to a third country, his lawyer said today.

Vijay Daman -- also known as Rajendra Nikalje or Chotta Rajan -- "will plead guilty to misinforming police" tomorrow in a Thai court, his lawyer Sirachai Piayphichetkul said.

Rajan reportedly hopes that by pleading guilty to the charge of deceiving immigration police and asking for mercy he will escape a jail sentence in Thailand and his trial will be over soon.

An extended trial in Bangkok could allow time for a case to be brought by Indian police, who have said they want to extradite Rajan to face charges relating to several murders in India.

"He does not want to go back to India because it's not safe for him there ...Indian police have not yet issued warrant against him, so he can go to a third country," Sirachai said.

"He has many friends in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. He may decide to go there."

Rajan had asked the immigration police to have his tourist visa status changed to a business visa so he could operate an import-export company, but no attempt was made to launch the company, and he was arrested for providing police with false information.

Police had reportedly been looking for ways to keep Rajan in Thailand, as Thai and Indian police rushed to file an extradition order against him.

Although he will plead guilty in order to avoid a long trial, Rajan actually committed no crime, Sirachai insisted.

"The fact is he didn't do that," he said.

Rajan, who entered Thailand under the name Vijay Daman, was wounded on September 15 when gunmen burst into a Bangkok apartment and killed his associate Rohit Verma, also known as Michael D'Souza.

Verma's wife Sikandi Hama was also wounded in the attack.