‘Anthony fled while PSI enjoyed lunch’

Vadodara: When sharpshooter Anil alias Anthony Gangwani fled from the Chhota Udepur police custody in the city, the police sub-inspector (PSI) was savouring Gujarati cuisines at a restaurant. Crime branch sleuths on Tuesday arrested the man who had taken PSI J P Damor to a restaurant for lunch on May 6.
Sohail Saiyyad, 38, a friend of Anthony was nabbed from Tandalja area on basis of a tip-off. “Sohail admitted that he had met Anthony on the day he fled. Sohail said that had taken PSI J P Damor, who was in-charge of guarding Anthony, to a nearby restaurant for lunch,” said D S Chauhan, ACP (crime).
When Damor left for the restaurant, Anthony, who was left unguarded, fled from Hotel Pooja where he was taken to meet his wife and sister. Damor returned to the hotel after 35 minutes only to learn that Anthony had escped from custody. Damor had earlier told the Sayajigunj police that he was in the adjacent room when Anthony escaped.
When asked why Damor left Anthony alone, the police said that the criminal may have won the trust of the PSI.
“It was the third time that Anthony was brought to the city in the last two months. Every time, Anthony called up Sohail from Damor’s phone and called him to meet,” a police official said.
In fact, 15 days ago, when Anthony was brought to the city, Sohail had taken Damor out for lunch. “On that day, Anthony took a two-wheeler and went around in the city unguarded. He returned to the hotel after a while. So Damor may have developed trust on Anthony,” the police added. Sohail, who is the childhood friend of Anthony, too left the spot after dropping Damor back.
Crime branch sleuths said that Anthony’s escape may have been pre-planned. The police have been looking for Anthony across the state and also in Madhya Pradesh. He was arrested by the Chhota Udepur police some months ago for threatening a farmer and in fake currency case.