Non-resident gang leader Chhota Rajan is still actively running his operations in Mumbai through his men lodged in the city’s Arthur Road jail.

Not only does he closely monitor their legal problems, he also coordinates payments and recruitment.

Last Friday, when the special MCOCA court rejected the bail plea of Madhu Kanhaialal Patel (38) in the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) arms haul case, it took into account the evidence presented by the Mumbai police crime branch to show how Rajan controls his operations from overseas.

The court, from the additional evidence presented by the police, found that Rajan was in constant touch with Patel and Madhu Kuttappan Kotiyatil alias Madhu Kutty, another accused in the case, at Arthur Road Jail and used to direct their moves in the case.

On November 24 last year, Rajan spoke to Kutty on cell number 9821326901 which was kept under observation by the crime branch with the state home department’s approval. Excerpts:

Madhu Kutty: Hello

Chotta Rajan: Kya bhaiya

MK: Haan bhaiya kaise ho

CR: Frist class hun, kya khabar hai?

MK: Bus theek hai, abhi chargesheet mila gaya hai

CR: Kiske paas dena hai? Fonda ke paas aur burden dalenge toh koi matlab nahi, woh kya bolta hai?

MK: Isko dekhte hai na, Adhik Shirodkar ko

CR: Adhik Shirodkar?

(Shirodhkar is former Shiv Sena MP and lawyer)

MK: Haan kyon ki Rohini bhi jara setting kar rahi hai, vaise woh hushiya hai, setting me bhi, lekin argument me kya

CR: Rohini ka number kya hai, mere ko Rohini ka number de na, woh mere ko mil hi nahi rahi hai

... contd.