Man convicted under POCSO Act absconds from Etah court; search on

Etah SSP said the incident took place on Thursday when the man accused under POCSO Act was bought to a local court for hearing

Two days after a man convicted under POCSO Act absconded from Etah court on Thursday where he was produced for trial, cops were yet to trace him even as a police staff (court moharrir) escorting the accused has been placed under suspension for negligence, a senior official said.

Etah police have lodged a case against the accused and suspended a police official for negligence. (Pic for representation)

Etah SSP Uday Shankar Singh said the incident took place on Thursday when Kuldeep alias Tipu (32) was bought to a local court for hearing. The court held him guilty and set Friday as date for pronouncing the quantum of punishment.

“After the court convicted Kuldeep, the court moharrir went inside the chamber of judicial officer to get the signature on the order. Kuldeep was made to wait at the witness box without any security. He took advantage of the situation and escaped. The matter was not known immediately but when the lapse came to knowledge of senior officials, a case was lodged against Tipu and court moharrir Rakesh Kumar Singh. Rakesh was also placed under suspension for negligence on Friday,” the SSP said.

He said police teams, including a SWAT team, have been constituted for arrest of the absconding accused.

Tipu was booked under POCSO Act in 2014 at Jainthra police station of Etah for luring a minor girl and sexual assault. Police had filed a charge sheet and court had fixed July 28 for order in the case.