Got info about rape accused’s escape after 4 hrs: Khanna SSP

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, December 26

A three-member police party of the Khanna police sent to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to take custody of rape accused and absconder Amandeep Singh, who had arrived from Bahrain, was kept in the dark by the airport authorities and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) regarding his escape. The team was made to wait at the airport for hours before being informed about it.

After over four hours, it was only when senior officials of the Khanna police talked to the airport authorities, that they revealed that the accused had already escaped from the airport.

Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal said that on December 20, the Khanna police received information that Amandeep of Khant village, Fatehgarh Sahib district, had been detained at the airport as a lookout circular had been issued against him in a rape case. The team of SI Jagtar Singh, constable Simranjit Singh and homeguard Jagtar Singh was immediately dispatched for the airport to take custody of the accused.

“After reaching there, when our team asked the authorities concerned for the custody of the accused, officials concerned made the police party wait for long. After over four hours, the authorities informed the police party that the accused had already escaped from the airport,” added Kondal.

As per the FIR (copy of which is with The Tribune) registered by the IGI Airport police station, Amandeep was in the custody of CISF. When the CISF guard went to the toilet, the accused escaped by jumping over counter no. 33. A case has already been registered against the accused.

On being asked about the case against the accused, SHO, Khanna City, Inspector Hemant Malhotra said in 2017, the accused had raped a woman of Khanna at a hotel by serving her cold drink laced with some sedatives. He sexually exploited her on the pretext of marrying her and did not reveal to her that he was already married and had a son. A case of rape was registered against the accused on April 7, 2020, on the complaint of the woman.

“On March 24, 2022, the accused was declared proclaimed offender by the court. Since he had fled abroad, the lookout circular was issued against him. After his escape from the airport, our team is also conducting raids at his suspected hideous,” added Malhotra.

As per the rape FIR, the accused had also taken Rs 1 lakh from the victim to pay his travel expenses. However, after reaching there, he parted ways with her. It was only when the victim came to know that accused was already married, that she lodged a police complaint on December 18, 2019.

Case registered in 2020

The accused had raped a woman of Khanna at a hotel by serving her a drink laced with sedatives. He sexually exploited her on the pretext of marrying her and did not reveal that he was already married and had a son. A case of rape was registered against the accused on April 7, 2020, on the complaint of the woman. — Hemant Malhotra, SHO Khanna city