PO arrested after two years

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 21

The city police today claimed to have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) who was facing charges of murder and also had cases registered against him under the Arms Act. He had been evading arrest for over two and a half years.

The accused was identified as Ajay Kumar, a resident of Ashiana Colony, Jassian (Ludhiana). He had been charged under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25/27/54/59 of the Arms Act and was declared a PO by a local judicial court in August 2019 in the criminal case registered against him at the Basti Jodhewal police station on June 28, 2018.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police-I Deepak Pareek said at a news conference here that during preliminary interrogation, the accused told the police that fearing arrest, he had gone to Palampur in Himachal Pradesh where he was pursuing a BTH course and lived under an assumed name and identity. Later, Ajay Kumar shifted his place of residence to Jandiala Guru and served as a pastor in Mission Compound Church there.

Pareek said even as the police were conducting regular raids at the possible hideouts of the accused and even at the residences of his close relatives, Ajay used to change his place of stay frequently. “The accused had also confessed that he, along with his brother-in-law Vishal (and a co-accused in the murder case), had provided the murder weapon to the prime accused Guarav, alias Goru, who had committed a murder in broad daylight.

The accused was also facing another criminal case under Sections 307/506/341/34 of the IPC and 35/54/59 Arms Act registered at the Salem Tabri police station here on June 11, 2018.