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Thai police launch probe
into Rajan's escape: PTI

Police Col Shinnaphat Tansrisakul, who is overseeing the extradition proceedings, was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying that he had almost completed formalities for his extradition to India.

He said Rajan, whose escape has caused embarrassment in the police hierarchy, would find it extremely difficult to flee the country because his passport had been declared fake by the Indian embassy. "He is hiding somewhere in Thailand."

The Thai police launched an investigation to ascertain if any of the seven police officers assigned to guard the gangster had helped him flee.

Rajan's escape from the fourth floor of the hospital, where he was recovering from gunshot wounds received in an attack by the rival Dawood Ibrahim gang in September, despite heavy security had caused embarrassment to the Thai police.

Shinnaphat said the immigration police had issued a warrant for Rajan's arrest and ordered all units along the border to be on the lookout for him.

He said four officers from a nearby police station were posted at the door of Rajan's hospital room, while two commandos from the crime suppression unit were positioned outside the hospital in a small back alley below the room. Another officer from his own branch was at the elevator.

"If Rajan had escaped through the window (using knotted bed-sheets), the two commandos should have seen him climbing down," Shinnaphat told The Nation daily.

Co Thawee Sodosong, who is in-charge of the probe, said initial investigations revealed that an officer on guard duty in the alley, Nithas Thudteam, had left the scene for early breakfast with one of Rajan's relatives, who was also staying in the hospital, the daily said.

He could not say how the other officer who stayed behind in the alley failed to notice Rajan sliding out of the window.

According to Shinnaphat, Rajan was last seen at 3 am and around 5 am his escape was discovered.

In New Delhi, the Indian Government said it was in touch with Interpol over the escape and denied reports that its agencies had any hand in it.

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