Investigations have revealed that history-sheeter Ravi Mallesh Bora alias D.K. Rao was active in crime while lodged at Taloja Central Jail in 2013 and had met the man, who has accused him of extorting money, twice.
On November 28, 2015, The Hindu had reported that three cell phones had been seized from Rao’s cell in Taloja during a surprise check in June. Hundreds of calls, including to international numbers, had been made from the phones.
Rao, a trusted of gangster Rajendra Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan, was serving sentence in an extortion case at the time. Rao was arrested again on Wednesday after a case was registered against him for allegedly trying to extort money from a consultant with a Slum Rehabilitation Authority project.
Met complainant twice
Sources in the Mumbai Police Crime Branch confirmed to The Hindu that Rao was active while in prison. An officer said, “Rao first met the complainant and threatened him in early 2014 at St. George Hospital in south Mumbai, where Rao had been brought for a medical check-up. Rao met the complainant in spite of being under police guard and threatened to kill him if he rejected his demands.”
The officer said in September 2015, Rao called the complainant to a court in Nashik, where he was being produced, and they had a long conversation at a resort in Nashik. The Navi Mumbai Police in 2015 initiated a probe after cell phones were found in Rao’s cell. The Crime Branch will be contacting the police for a copy of their investigation report.
A senior officer said, “We have information to indicate that Rao was in touch with Rajan while in prison, right up to the time that Rajan got arrested. He may have used these same cell phones. We are verifying this.”
On initiating a probe into collusion between Rao and the policemen who escorted him, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Saxena said, “Investigations are under way with all angles in mind; all necessary steps will be taken.”
Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Dr Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay could not be reached for comment. Rao is alleged to have threatened the complainant to take over a SRA project in Dharavi.
