VIP convict spends life term out of jail... arrested!

WILL CRIME branch sleuths take pride in arresting a convict after 18 years of his escape from judicial custody? Certainly not. Because, the convict is none other than the daily-seen face ?Suraj Prasad Verma, alias Suresh Verma, upwardly mobile contractor, wannabe corporator and party functionary.

WILL CRIME branch sleuths take pride in arresting a convict after 18 years of his escape from judicial custody? Certainly not. Because, the convict is none other than the daily-seen face —Suraj Prasad Verma, alias Suresh Verma, upwardly mobile contractor, wannabe corporator and party functionary.

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During the days of his escape, he contested the corporator’s election under the BJP banner and stood runner-up. He served as a BJP mandal vice-president and was a regular visitor to the corridors of power. He got himself registered as a prominent contractor with the Mandi Parishad. He also lived lavishly in a palatial house constructed at 2/210, Sector-H, Jankipuram in Madiaon. He moved about in a luxury car and married another woman Asha after the death of his first wife.
Suraj Prasad Verma’s name was first mentioned in the records with Rampur Kalan police station of Sitapur district after a case of murder was registered against him on March 16, 1986. A native of Raipur village, Suraj had shot dead his neighbour Ashok Nigam with his licenced rifle that day and was sent to jail.

On medical grounds, Suraj got parole thrice for four months each. He was out on parole the third time when a Sitapur court sentenced him to life imprisonment on September 7, 1987. Suraj moved the High Court, but his appeal was rejected.

Wary of a long stay behind bars, Suraj decided to dodge the system. He handed over Rs 10,000 each to the two of his acquaintances who had deposited bail-bonds of the same amount in favour of Suraj in court earlier. Suraj took the step as the deposit was going to be seized after his escape from judicial custody.
Suraj did not turn up in jail even after his parole was over.

He left Sitapur and shifted to Lucknow. Since he was affluent, he got himself registered with the Mandi Parishad under the fake name of Suresh Verma and began a new life.

He earned well and began visiting influential politicians. He played a vital role in various assembly elections of a senior Congress leader as the latter’s election representative several times.

Later, he got a palatial house constructed in Jankipuram, identifying himself as a native of Fatehpur Sadhemau village in Barabanki. After securing the post of an office-bearer in the city wing of the BJP, Suraj contested the corporator’s election in 2000 under his fake name and finished as the runner-up.

Superintendent of police (Crime) Dinesh Dubey said Suraj even used to arrange parties for policemen at Rampur Kalan police station in Sitapur.

Crime branch sleuths laid hands on Suraj on Sunday after one of his confidants spoke the truth about the convict.