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VP Ansari in Jakarta as India seeks deportation of Chhota Rajan
Indian fugitive Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, known in India as "Chhota Rajan," center, is escorted by police officers for questioning in Bali, Thursday
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Indian fugitive Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, known in India as "Chotta Rajan," center, is escorted by police officers for questioning in Bali, Thursday. (AP/Firdia Lisnawati) (AP/Firdia Lisnawati)
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span class="inline inline-center">Indian fugitive Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, known in India as "Chhota Rajan," center, is escorted by police officers for questioning in Bali, Thursday. (AP/Firdia Lisnawati)
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Sunday arrived in Jakarta on a four-day official visit even as a joint team of CBI and police officers have left for Indonesia to seek deportation of underworld don Chhota Rajan.
Vice President Ansari, who is visiting the Southeast Asian country on the invitation of his Indonesian counterpart Jusuf Kalla, told reporters that India will exchange notes with Indonesia to complete the formalities for a pending extradition pact.
A team comprising Mumbai and Delhi police officers, and CBI, departed for Indonesia, two days after India wrote formally to Indonesia seeking Rajan's deportation to India.
Rajan, who was nabbed at Bali airport on his arrival from Australia last month and is in a prison in Bali, is said to have at least 75 cases registered against him by Mumbai police while Delhi Police have six cases on him.
The first Secretary (consular) of the Indian embassy in Jakarta, Sanjeev Kumar Agrawal, met Rajan on Sunday at the detention centre in Bali.
Rajan, 55, was arrested on the basis of a Red Corner Notice from Interpol and following a tip off by Australian authorities to the police in Indonesia. He had been living in Australia for the last few years and was carrying an Indian passport issued in the name of Mohan Kumar when he was arrested, according to reports.
In the absence of an extradition treaty, Indian authorities have provided documents to their Indonesian counterparts about Rajan's Indian identity to facilitate his deportation.
Earlier, in other remarks to the media on board the special flight, Ansari said that India enjoys close and cordial relations with both Indonesia and Brunei, and his five-day visit to both countries would seek to renew the bonds of friendship.
Ansari also emphasized, that as a maritime neighbor and a strategic partner, with a number of cultural similarities, including its own multicultural and multi-linguistic character, India has traditionally enjoyed close relations with Indonesia.
On the economic side, he said that there exists about $20 billion trade between the two nations and India's investments in Indonesia have been increasing.
India is also an important buyer of Indonesian palm oil and coal. 'This is a relationship that our successive leaderships have cultivated over the years', he added.
To a question on security cooperation with Indonesia, Ansari said that India has cooperation at the level of defence ministries and between their armed forces, as well as on internal security.
On skill development, Ansari said that India is offering a number of scholarships under various programmes to Indonesia.
On India's ties with Brunei, the Vice President said that the Brunei has been very friendly to India, and we have been maintaining cordial relations with the country. On the economic side, he mentioned that India imports almost $1 billion worth of crude oil, and that there was a large Indian community in Brunei which was making its contribution in the field of medicine, education and business, according to an official statement.
The Vice President is accompanied by four MPs, senior officials, media personnel and large business delegation.
Ansari is to visit Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and is symbol of Indonesian resurgence.
The Vice President is to hold official talks with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, and also call on President Joko Widodo on Monday. He would also meet former president Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Vice President Ansari is to visit the Indonesian Parliament where he will hold meetings with Speaker Zulkifli Hasan among other officials.
India and Indonesia are expected to sign MoU on Cooperation in New and Renewable energy and on Cultural Exchange as well as for setting up of an Ayurveda Chair at the Faculty of Medicine at Sudirman Campus in Denpasar, Bali.
Both sides are also set to exchange notes on acceptance and coming into effect of the Extradition Treaty and the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. A procedure for implementing the treaty has been completed.
India and Indonesia enjoy a long standing shared historical affinity and close cultural ties. Indonesia is an important partner of India among the ASEAN countries. (kes)
