FOR DAUGHTER’S HIGHER STUDIES

Rajan wife’s plea to travel abroad rejected

S Ahmed Ali TNN 

August 14,2013

Mumbai: The special Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act court on Monday rejected underworld gangster Chhota Rajan’s wife Sujata Nikhalje’s plea seeking permission to travel to the UK where her eldest daughter is pursuing higher studies.
    MCOCA judge Prithviraj Chavan on Monday rejected the plea after the city crime branch filed a report stating that if she travelled abroad, she might meet her husband, Rajan Nikhalje, or might aid him in crime. Her advocate, Abad Ponda, confirmed the development but said he was “yet to get the orders”.
    Sujata had filed an application before the MCOCA court stating that her eldest daughter, Ankita, had completed her graduation and was now seeking admission in MBA in a UK institute. It said Sujata wanted to go there and help her get admission. Sujata, who has three daughters, said just being a gangster’s wife should not be reason for the authorities to deny her right to travel abroad.
    “We had filed a report stating that an extortion case against her is still pending and
if she is allowed to fly out of India, she may try to meet her fugitive husband, aid and abet in crime and may not return to India,” said an officer.
    In 2006, Sujata was arrested on the charge of being involved in extortion from builders. The case is still awaiting trial. This is the second time that Sujata’s request to travel abroad has been rejected.