Gujarat: Four cops held for aiding escape of murder accused

RAJKOT: Five people, including four cops from Ahmedabad and driver of the SUV in which a murder accused nabbed by Gujarat anti-terrorists squad (ATS) had escaped on Monday, were arrested by Dhrangadhra police on Tuesday.


Those arrested include probationary sub-inspector Harpalsinh Jetavat, posted at Naroda police station in Ahmedabad, head constable Raju Bariya and constables Dilip Jadav and Gajendrasinh Bihola.

Rohit Joshi (42), driver of the SUV in which murder accused Hitubha Zala (35) had escaped, was arrested from Halvad town of Morbi district.

The four cops were booked for plotting a conspiracy and allowing the escape of Zala from police custody while he was being taken to Morbi court for hearing in a case. The driver was charged with aiding Zala’s escape.

According to Dhrangadhra deputy superintendent of police R B Devta, after giving the cops a slip, Zala changed the car and boarded another SUV from Halvad and went towards Kutch.

“Joshi told us that Zala had called another black SUV from Morbi and escaped in that vehicle,” said Devta. He added that on tracking the white SUV in which Zala escaped, they reached Joshi.

Zala, an undertrial prisoner, escaped from police custody while he was being taken to a court in Morbi from Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad. Police said, Zala was jailed for killing Mustaq Mir in 2017. After being released on parole, he fled in 2018.

With an intention of killing Mir’s brother Arif, Zala procured firearms and opened fire at him at Kalika plot in Morbi six months ago. While the bullets missed Arif, it claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy.

Zala, who had been on the run, was nabbed by anti-terrorists squad of Ahmedabad, a month ago, and subsequently jailed.