Close aide Vicky Malhotra likely to take over Chhota Rajan's business empire

NEW DELHI: Underworld don Chhota Rajan's trusted aide Vicky Malhotra could be taking over Rajan's business - with his mentor's blessings - to emerge as an independent entity who could be a check on the Dawood Ibrahim gang's network. Going by Malhotra's movements in recent months, it would appear that he is now looking to carve a niche for himself, agencies tracking him feel.

Malhotra has been Rajan's closest associate who has been with him for the last two decades through thick and thin. Malhotra's loyalties did not waver even when the don split with confidantes like Ravi Pujari and Santosh Shetty after the Bangkok attack on him in 2000. Malhotra was last arrested from outside Ashoka Hotel in Delhi in 2005 but jumped bail in 2010.

He is since learnt to be juggling between Dubai and Africa. Interestingly, Africa is a relatively new hunting ground for Dawood who now also dabbles in blood diamonds.

While Malhotra's crowning is being seen as an attempt to prevent Chhota Shakeel, who is in command of the D Company's operations, from gaining unopposed supremacy in Mumbai's underworld, officials say that the development could unleash fresh gang wars in the city if the D Company tries to stop the new rival.

Elaborating on the development, an official said Rajan had contacted several senior intelligence officials many times in April-May. This was when Chhota Shakeel and his men had cornered Rajan in Australia. The pressure grew even more in July after D Company's operation to get Rajan came out in the open. The Newcastle police too got hot on his trail even as Australian government stepped in and asked authorities to fish the gangster out.

Now, it is believed that Rajan got in touch with Malhotra and persuaded him to take over in the wake of "extremely hostile circumstances". The other theory suggests Malhotra too may have ditched Rajan and joined hands with D-Company with an eye to being installed as in-charge of India operations. But agencies are not buying it.

"The D-Company has been trying to break Malhotra away from Rajan for long but has failed in the past. Early this year too, there was buzz that Malhotra and Rajan had split but the two were in touch through VOIP," an official pointed out.