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BALI, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities deported on Thursday an alleged Indian crime boss who has been on Interpol's most-wanted list for two decades.
Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, known in India as "Chotta Rajan," is accused of involvement in several mafia killings and other crimes in his homeland. He was arrested Oct. 25 after arriving at Bali's airport from Sydney.
Sandy Wirawan, an Indonesian Interpol official, told reporters in Denpasar that Nikalje was handed over to seven officers of India's Central Bureau of Investigation and was flown to India on a special aircraft.
Nikalje, 56, was to have been deported Tuesday from Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, but the airport was closed because of volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Rinjani on nearby Lombok island.
Nikalje, who was carrying a passport with the alias Mohan Kumar, was arrested based on a notice from Interpol and following a tip from Australian authorities in Canberra.
He told Indonesian police that he had been hiding in Australia for seven years and flew to Bali for a vacation.
"He apparently had moved repeatedly to avoid arrest, but he refused to answer all questions about his alleged crimes," Bali police spokesman Heri Wiyanto said.
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