Year on , police fail to arrest prime accused

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25 

Even a year after Akansh Sen (28), nephew of Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, was run over by a BMW car in Sector 9, the UT police have failed to arrest the prime accused in the case. The announcement of a reward of Rs 1 lakh also failed to be of any help. 

Akansh Sen was run over by the BMW car in Sector 9 on February 9 last year. The accused, Balraj Singh Randhawa, a resident of Sector 77, Sohana, Mohali, was allegedly driving the BMW car while Harmehtab Singh, alias Farid, a resident of Radewala Farm, Landran, Mohali, was sitting next to him when the incident took place. While Farid was arrested from Haridwar a week after the crime, Randhawa is still absconding. The police have announced a reward on Randhawa. However, they have failed to get any reliable information that can lead to Randhawa’s arrest. Earlier, a reward of Rs 50,000 was announced, which was later increased to Rs 1 lakh. After the accused could not be arrested, the court declared Randhawa a proclaimed offender.

A police official said they suspected that Randhawa had fled the country. 

Timeline 

Feb 9, 2017: Akansh Sen run over by BMW car driven by Balraj Singh Randhawa

Feb 16: Harmehtab Singh, alias Farid, arrested 

Feb 20: BMW car, which was found abandoned in Mandi Gobindgarh, handed over to UT police. 

March 2: UT police announce reward of Rs 50,000 on Randhawa 

April 5: Randhawa declared PO, reward money increased to Rs 1 lakh

April 10: Court directs the UT police to provide a report of tehsildar confirming the properties owned by Randhawa

May 6: UT police file a 443-page chargesheet in the murder case

June 1: Court allows application moved by UT police to attach the property of Randhawa