The accused had been lodged in Haridwar Jail in connection with around 20 cases, and the four personnel had accompanied him to Sikandra court in Rajasthan for a case. (Iage for representational purpose only)
Days after a 24-year-old man accused of ATM card cloning fled from the custody of Haridwar police officers, Delhi Police have arrested eight people, including four Haridwar policemen.
The accused, Praveen Dagar, had escaped after Haridwar police agreed to take him to his home in Jharoda Kalan village — allegedly in exchange for money. Police also found that the accused fractured his leg when he jumped from his terrace to another building to escape.
Police said raids are being conducted at several locations in Haryana to nab Praveen, and officers are also visiting hospitals in Gurgaon that he may have visited to treat his leg.
Police said the arrested policemen have been identified as head constable Subhash; and constables Ankit Rawat, Rajdeep and Harender, while the other arrested accused have been identified as Pramod Dagar (28), the accused’s elder brother; and his friends Sumit (25), Dimpi (22) and Ashish (25).
Last week, Delhi Police had booked the four Haridwar policemen following Praveen’s escape. The accused had been lodged in Haridwar Jail in connection with around 20 cases, and the four personnel had accompanied him to Sikandra court in Rajasthan for a case.
“While the policemen and Praveen were waiting at New Delhi railway station for the train to Haridwar, Praveen convinced the officers to let him visit his home, allegedly in exchange for money. Pramod and his aides were waiting at the station in a Creta. They followed them when two of the policemen left the railway station along with Praveen,” a Delhi Police officer said.
Investigation revealed that at his home, the two policemen allegedly had dinner and one of them also consumed liquor. “Praveen was with his family on the terrace; his hands were handcuffed. He called his associate Dimpi, and asked him to wait with a scooter outside his home.
Praveen then jumped to another building to escape. However, he had a hard fall and fractured his leg. He was taken by Dimpi outside the village, where the Creta was waiting for him. From there, he first headed to a hospital in Gurgaon,” the officer said.
Police said Pramod, who was arrested by the Crime Branch, told police during questioning that Praveen’s girlfriend also came to meet him in the hospital, where he had an operation and doctors inserted an iron rod in his leg.
“His brother also claimed that Praveen had been lodged in Haridwar Jail in connection with around 20 cases, and had been planning to try and get out on bail after returning the money to the complainants. But he recently discovered that Rajasthan Police were likely to charge him in connection with another case. That’s when he decided to escape,” the officer said.