Carjacking: Cops recover vehicle used in crime

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 15

The local police on Sunday claimed to have recovered the Ritz car from Varun Sood and Sanju, who were among the five involved in a carjacking on the Landran-Banur road here on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

Confirming the development, SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal said the car in question had been recovered from the possession of the duo. “Further investigations are on in this regard,” he added.

The Ritz car was used by the five accused, Samuel Masih, alias Sunny Masih, who was gunned down by the Mohali police in an encounter at Naina Devi on Saturday, Goldy Masih, Amarpreet Singh, Varun Sood and Sanju, to snatch a Hyundai Verna car from a Kharar resident, Navnit Kumar, and his brother-in-law Ritu Raj Singh after firing a shot in the air.

Sources said the accused had taken the Ritz car on rent, which was said to be Rs 1,200 per day. “They snatched the Verna car with a plan to sell it somewhere in Jammu and Kashmir where they could get a good deal,” said a senior police official.

The official added that while criminal record of Sunny Masih, Goldy Masih and Amarpreet Singh had been found, Sanju and Varun had joined them just around a fortnight ago. He added that the trio (Sunny Masih, Goldy Masih and Amarpreet) might have come in contact with each other in some jail. “Investigations in this direction are also on,” said the SSP.

Sunny Masih was shot twice in encounter

Sunny Masih received two bullet injuries in the encounter with the Mohali police at Naina Devi in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday. “One bullet hit him just near his heart while the other pierced his waist. The postmortem examination was conducted at a hospital in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, following which the body was handed over to his kin,” said Mohali Superintendent of Police (Detective) Harbir Singh Atwal. It is learnt that the deceased’s kin held a protest in front of the Mandi hospital.

Goldy, Amarpreet in police remand

A court in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, sent Goldy Masih and Amarpreet Singh to remand under police custody till July 18. The remand has been procured on a plea that they (HP Police) have to recover more weapons, if any, and check any drug angle in the case. The Mohali police said after culmination of the duo’s police remand in HP, they would be brought to Mohali on production warrants.

3 of five accused have criminal record: SSP

SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal said a case under Sections 399 (making preparation to commit dacoity) and 402 (assembling for purpose of committing dacoity) of the IPC was registered against Goldy Mashih at the Kalanour police station on April 3 while Sunny Masih was booked in a case under Sections 379 (theft) and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the IPC and Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act at a police station in Nagrota, Kangra, HP. Amarpreet Singh was arrested in February this year in a case registered under Sections 379B (snatching with hurt), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC at the Kharar City police station, he added.