Robbery accused guilty of escaping police custody

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh district court, on Thursday, convicted a person who escaped from police custody while he was being taken to

Burail

jail. However, the two persons, who allegedly materialised his escape plan were acquitted for lack of evidence.

The court of civil judge Harleen Pal Singh held Gurjant Singh

Janta

guilty under sections 224 ( resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) and 34 (when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The quantum of the sentence will be pronounced on Monday.

Gurjant Singh Janta is reported to be hard core criminal, who was booked for murder, snatching and robbery charges. The other accused namely

Kulwinder Singh

, a resident of

Sohana

and Farman Khan, a resident of Bhajomajra were acquitted.

It was stated that on June 6, 2016 at 2.40pm, Gurjant Singh was produced in court from

Rajpura

for trial and then, was being taken back to Burail jail. After getting down from jail bus, he was taken into the jail by foot. However, at the lightpoint of colony number 5, near Sector 50/51 dividing road, a white swift car came, two people emerged from it and pushed Gurjant inside and fled. Hence, Gurjant, with the help of other two accused, escaped the police custody. He was then arrested from Patiala after few days.

However, the defence counsel Inderjeet Bassi argued that a false case has been imposed on the accuse. Eye-witness failed to recognise Kulwinder Singh and Farman Khan and stated that he could not identify whether the persons who drove the car were the accused. After, the arguments the court held Gurjant Singh guilty and acquitted the other two persons. The court would pronounce the quantum of sentence on Monday.

Gurjant was involved in a heist of Rs 1.34 crore from cash van of Axis Bank at Mohali and Rs 5 lakh robbery from a cash van of the State Bank of Patiala near Khuda Ali Sher, when he, along his gang members, fired at security guard on July 14, 2014.

Gurjant Singh alias Janta was held by Mohali police along with eight robbers, who targeted the cash van of the Axis bank and robbed Rs 1.34 crore in March 2015.