A Special CBI Court has convicted underworld don Chhota Rajan, also known as Rajendra alias Nana, in a nearly two-decade-old fake passport case and sentenced him to seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of ₹55,000. The court found him guilty of offences including cheating, forgery, personation, and using forged documents to fraudulently obtain an Indian passport. The sentence will run in addition to the life imprisonment he is currently serving in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the case dates back to March 19, 2002, when the agency registered an FIR following a complaint alleging that Chhota Rajan had obtained an Indian passport from the Regional Passport Office in Chennai by submitting forged documents. The CBI subsequently launched a detailed investigation into the authenticity of the documents, the identity records, and the passport issuance process.
During the investigation, the agency found that the accused had applied for the passport under the name “Vijaya Kadam.” To support the application, he allegedly submitted forged documents, including a school transfer certificate, ration card, demand draft, and other identity and residential records. Investigators alleged that these documents were fabricated to falsely establish the applicant’s identity, age, and place of residence.
The CBI informed the court that the accused impersonated Vijaya Kadam and presented forged documents as genuine to obtain the passport. The investigation established that the applicant was actually Rajendra alias Nana alias Chhota Rajan, son of Sadashiv and a resident of Mumbai. After collecting documentary and other evidence, the agency filed a chargesheet on January 22, 2004, before the Special CBI Court.
During the trial, the prosecution presented documentary evidence, investigation records, and other material before the court. Based on the evidence, the court concluded that the accused had fraudulently obtained an Indian passport using a false identity and forged documents. Consequently, the court convicted him under the relevant provisions of criminal law and awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a ₹55,000 fine.
Officials stated that this sentence will be in addition to the life imprisonment Rajan is already serving in Tihar Jail. Investigating agencies said that obtaining sensitive government documents through forged identities and fabricated records poses a serious threat to national security and the integrity of India’s identity verification system. Such cases require thorough scrutiny of documents and rigorous verification of identity records.
Legal experts note that courts have consistently taken a strict view of offences involving forged documents used to obtain passports and other government-issued identity documents. Scientific examination of records, verification of official documents, and analysis of documentary and electronic evidence have become key components of investigations into identity-related crimes.
Following the Special CBI Court’s verdict, further legal proceedings will continue in accordance with law. Chhota Rajan has already been convicted in several serious criminal cases and is currently serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail. The latest conviction marks another significant judicial outcome against the underworld figure and underscores the legal consequences of using forged documents and false identities to obtain official government documents.
