Cops acquitted in prisoner escape case

A local court has acquitted two personnel of the Haryana Police in a case registered in connection with the escape of a prisoner from their custody five years ago. The court, however, convicted the prisoner.

An FIR was registered against Constable Vinod Kumar and ASI Jagdish on December 26, 2019, under Section 223 (Public servant negligently allows the person in their custody to escape), 224 (Intentionally resisting or obstructing lawful apprehension) of the IPC at the Sector 34 Police Station in Chandigarh on a complaint of Sub Inspector Virendra Singh.

He had said the policemen had brought prisoner Ajay from Ambala jail to GMCH in Sector 32 for treatment. But the prisoner escaped from their custody on December 24, 2019 in the area of GMCH-32 after pushing them.

After investigation the police filed the chargesheet against the policemen and prisoner.

Finding prima facie case charges were framed against the accused on April 20, 2022, to which they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

Vivek Kathuria, counsel for the accused, argued that they were falsely implicated in the case. There was no negligence on their part. The prosecution had not described the manner of negligence of escape and CCTV footage of GMCH was also not procured. Besides, the sanction of the prosecution from the competent authority was also not taken against the accused to prosecute them under the imposed section.

The court convicted prisoner Ajay under Section 224 of IPC and sentenced him to undergo for the period already undergone during the judicial custody.