Judicial custody for extradited Nabha jailbreak accused

Patiala, August 23

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The 2016 Nabha jailbreak mastermind, Ramanjit Singh, alias Romi, was produced before a duty magistrate at 4 am today, who remanded him in two-week judicial custody.

He was arrested on Thursday after his extradition by Hong Kong in an operation coordinated by the CBI and the Punjab Police. Romi’s advocate said extradition was allowed on the basis of an undertaking that the police would not interrogate the accused.

“The Indian Government had signed a treaty with Hong Kong wherein the former had stated that Romi was wanted in two cases — Nabha Jail Break case (FIR No 142) and another case (FIR No 62). Romi had also agreed to face trial and as per the understanding, it was admitted that no police remand will be sought,” said Romi’s advocate.

He further added that the duty magistrate has gone through the documents following which Romi was sent to judicial custody and not police custody.

Romi was brought to Nabha during the wee hours, and his medical examination was done at the Civil Hospital. Police officials said Romi, 34, was the key conspirator in the jailbreak in which six hardcore criminals, including two terrorists, managed to escape.

Till Thursday cops were claiming that they would question Romi and expose the terror-gangster module in the state, but due to the treaty, Romi evaded police remand and would cool his heels in jail.

The extradition proceedings against Romi, a resident of Bangi Ruldu village of Bathinda, were initiated in 2018. He had been residing at Kowloon, Hong Kong. On Thursday afternoon, DGP Gaurav Yadav announced that Romi had been extradited to India.