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Moose Wala murder case accused escapes custody in Punjab
Gangster Tinu managed to escape from police custody almost three weeks after a mobile phone was seized from him in the jail
Gangster Deepak alias Tinu, an accused in Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder case and a close aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, fled from the custody of the Crime Investigations Agency (CIA) unit of the Mansa police during the wee hours on Sunday.
A senior Punjab police officer, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Tinu has escaped from the custody and the state police has been put on alert. The Punjab police have also launched a search operation in Punjab and Haryana as well. Meanwhile, the role of Mansa CIA incharge is under scanner for the gangster’s escape.
The Mansa police brought Tinu on production warrant from Tarn Taran district’ Goindwal Sahib jail a couple of days ago, in a separate case. It is learnt that he fled from the CIA custody on the intervene night of Saturday and Sunday.
The Punjab police brought him on transit remand from the Tihar jail in Delhi on July 4 in the Moose Wala murder case. Tinu is among the 24 accused chargesheeted in the Moosewala murder case. As per chargesheet filed by the Mansa police, Tinu is a close aide of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and was lodged with them inside different jails. “Tinu was in Tihar jail and directly participated in the planning of Moose Wala’s murder. He was instrumental in connecting Bishnoi from Tihar jail with gangster Goldy Brar, who was believed to be in Canada at that time, through mobile phones for planning and execution of Moose Wala’s murder,” claimed the police.
Also Read |How dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has been evading law
Popular singer and politician Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead near his home in May, triggering a massive probe. The downgrading of his security cover by the Punjab government was widely criticised following his killing. More than 30 accused have been identified so far and key links have been drawn to Bishnoi.
Mobile phone recovered from Tinu last month in jail
Interestingly, the gangster has managed to escape from police custody almost three weeks after a mobile phone was recovered from his custody. On September 12, Gondwal Sahib jail officials recovered two mobile phones from the barrack where six accused in Moose Wala murder case including Tinu were lodged. A case was registered against three shooters who killed Moose Wala--Priyavart Fauji, Ankit Sersa and Kashish-- and three others who provided assistance-- Tinu, Keshav Kumar and Sachin Bhiwani. Sources said that he might have been in constant touch with aides outside and looking for an opportunity.
Tinu escaped police custody in 2017 as well
This is not the first time Tinu had managed to escape police custody. In June 2017, he was freed by gangster Sampat Nehra (now in Tihar jail) and his aide from Civil Hospital Panchkula after throwing pepper spray in the eyes of a police official. Tinu was locked up in an Ambala jail when he was brought for a regular check up to the hospital. Following the checkup, an escape was carried out by Nehra and his aide at a gun point and by using pepper spray. Tinu remained on the run for six months before he was again arrested in December by the Bhiwani police from Bengaluru.
