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Chhota Rajan to plead
guilty in Thailand: AFP

Vijay Daman - also known as Rajendra Nikalje or Chhota Rajan - "will plead guilty to misinforming police" on Tuesday in a Thai court, his lawyer Sirachai Piayphichetkul said.

Rajan hopes that by pleading guilty to the charge of deceiving immigration police and asking for mercy he will escape a jail sentence in Thailand and his trial will end soon.

An extended trial in Bangkok could allow time for a case to be brought by Indian police, who have said they want to extradite Rajan to face charges relating to murders in India.

"He does not want to go back to India because it's not safe for him there... The Indian police have not yet issued a warrant against him, so he can go to a third country," Sirachai said.

"He has many friends in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. He may decide to go there."

Rajan had asked the immigration police to have his tourist visa status changed to a business visa so he could operate an import-export company, but no attempt was made to launch the company, and he was arrested for providing police false information.

Police had reportedly been looking for ways to keep Rajan in Thailand, as Thai and Indian police rushed to file an extradition order against him.

Although he will plead guilty to avoid a long trial, Rajan actually committed no crime, Sirachai insisted.

"The fact is he didn't do that," he said.

Rajan, who entered Thailand under the name Vijay Daman, was wounded on September 15, when gunmen burst into a Bangkok apartment and killed his associate Rohit Verma, also known as Michael D'Souza.

Verma's wife Sikandi Hama was wounded in the attack.

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