Rape on wheels cracked, cabbie nabbed in Mohali

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 25 

Ten days after the rape incident in a cab, the police claim to have nabbed the culprit today. The police refused to reveal the identity of the cabbie citing legal issues.

Inspector General of Police, Roopnagar Range, V Neeraja and Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Harcharan Singh Bhullar said due to some legal issues, the identity of the suspect had not been revealed. 

“We have arrested the culprit, who is a habitual criminal. He has confessed to having raped at least four girls in a similar manner. “All crimes were committed in Mohali district in past 10 months, but none of these was reported to us,” said the IG, adding that all these crimes were committed by the suspect in broad daylight. 

He was also involved in the kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl from Phase 5. A case in this connection was registered at the Phase 1 police station on October 12 last year,” said Neeraja. 

The police recovered his white Toyota Liva cab in which he allegedly raped the Kangra-based victim on April 15 in broad daylight at a deserted place in the Sohana area here. 

Since then, the police were on their toes to arrest the suspect, who was moving in the area in his car even after committing the crime.

SSP Bhullar said the suspect targeted employees of call centres. “First, he used to identify a target and followed the girl for a day or two. He used to approach her on the pretext of asking for an address, which would be located near the victim’s workplace. This way, he offered the victim a lift and then gave shape to his nefarious designs,” said the SSP. 

The police said he used to affix fake number plates on his cab. The police said he was arrested at a naka laid to check vehicles. 

The police had registered a case under Sections 376 and 506 of the IPC at the Sohana police station on a complaint of a 22-yer-old married victim. She had alleged that he offered her a lift after asking for an address near her workplace on April 15. When she sat in the car, he forcibly took her to secluded road and raped her.  

Was spotted near pvt hospital earlier

The police said the suspect was found moving in his Liva car two days ago near a private hospital at Sector 69 here. “He was signalled to stop at a naka, but he managed to escape,” the police said. 

Sohana SHO was suspended, booked

The police had suspended inspector Daljeet Singh Gill, SHO of the Sohana police station, for not reacting to the rape complaint on time and had later booked him under Section 166-A of the IPC at the same police station which he was heading at the time of the incident.   

Strong view by women panel

The National Commission for Women had taken a stern view of the “lethargic approach” of the local police in the case and had directed them to take strong action against guilty officials and provide assistance to the victim. 

Victim identifies suspect

Sources said the victim identified the suspect through his photo shown to her. He was produced before a local court on Thursday, which sent him to judicial custody. 

Went to call centre 

A day after committing the crime, the suspect had again gone to the call centre in which the victim was working, said police sources. 

Modifications in car

The rape suspect had made modifications in his car -- on the bonnet and the tyres. The police were aware about it.