Chota Rajan shifted to AIIMS, but do you know Bada Rajan, who was killed for love because…

Bada Rajan alias Rajan Mahadevan Nair was a notorious underworld don from Mumbai.

From Tailor to Underworld Don: Chhota Rajan, the underworld don, was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Friday due to health complications. A team of senior doctors is constantly monitoring his condition, which is deteriorating as he is suffering from sinus issues, officials said. The Mumbai-based gangster is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. Rajan once wanted Don Dawood Ibrahim’s close aide and was sentenced to life imprisonment last year in connection with the killing of hotelier Jaya Shetty in 2001. In October 2024, he was granted bail in the case following the suspension of the life sentence from the Bombay High Court.

According to the Delhi Jail Manual, Rajan will receive the same medical care as other inmates but within the enclosures of the inbuilt Medical Inspection Room. But in case of emergency, he can be shifted to a local hospital for treatment, after the permission of the superintendent.

In 2018, Rajan was sentenced to life imprisonment over the murder of journalist J Dey in 2011 by a special court.

Who Was Bada Rajan?

Bada Rajan alias Rajan Mahadevan Nair was a notorious underworld don from Mumbai. Hailing from Kerala, he led a gang that operated in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, including Ghatkopar, Tilak Nagar, and Chembur.

On September 21, 1983, Bada Rajan was assassinated by the Pathan gang. His death was linked to his involvement in aiding Dawood Ibrahim by directing a gang member, David Pardeshi, to kill Amirzada, a member of the Pathan gang.

Rajan began his life as a tailor in Mumbai, earning a monthly income of Rs 25 to Rs 30. He loved a girl. He needed money to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday, Rajan stole a typewriter, sold it, and used the money for the birthday celebration.

However, he was soon arrested by the police and was sentenced to three years jail.

After his release, Rajan channelled his anger into forming his notorious gang, initially called the “Golden Gang,” later known as the “Bada Rajan Gang.”

Friendship with Dawood Ibrahim

After Varadarajan Mudaliar left Mumbai and went to Madras, Bada Rajan took over his operations and played a key role in strengthening Dawood Ibrahim’s power in the Mayanagari. Together, they challenged smugglers Karim Lala and Haji Mastan. It’s often said that without Bada Rajan’s support, Dawood could never Mumbai underworld.

Betrayal and Demise

Rajan recruited Abdul Kunju into his gang, but their alliance turned fatal when Kunju married Rajan’s long-term girlfriend. This betrayal fuelled major hatred between Rajan and Kunju. In 1982, the Pathan brothers, with Abdul Kunju’s help, planned Rajan’s killing. On the day of the attack, Bada Rajan was shot outside a court.