Mumbai: A 22-year-old man, who was nabbed by pedestrians in Malad (west) within a minute of snatching a cell phone, escaped from the police custody on Thursday when he was taken for a medical check-up.
The accused, identified as Arif Sheikh, was caught by eyewitnesses on Wednesday, and was handed over to the Malad police. He was arrested and charged with robbery under the Indian Penal Code. On Thursday morning, he was taken to Siddharth Hospital in Goregaon for a check-up before being produced in court.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone XI) Vikram Deshmane said, “Sheikh and another accused were taken together for the check-up. Sheikh bit the hand of the constable restraining him and fled from the waiting room.” Sheikh fled with handcuffs attached to one of his hands and jumped into a sewage drain that runs outside the main gate of the hospital. The police personnel escorting him filed a fresh FIR against him with the Goregaon police. He was booked for escape from lawful custody under the Indian Penal Code.