The Hindu : Clan `cause', lucre were the bait

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 01, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Clan `cause', lucre were the bait

By Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI, FEB. 29. Sandeep Thakur, who allegedly impersonated as a Delhi Armed Police constable to whisk away the main accused in the Phoolan Devi murder case, Sher Singh Rana, from the high-security Tihar Central Jail, had agreed to facilitate Rana's get-away allegedly to serve the "greater cause" of his clan and to make quick buck in the process. During interrogation, Sandeep (22) disclosed that his father, Brijpal Singh "Ghatotkach", is a humour poet who has given performances at several functions. Years ago, his family was into selling typewriters. They used to supply typewriters mainly to the Army, Roorkee mainly being a cantonment area. But with passage of time, quality typewriters replaced the old ones and Sandeep's family started losing their customers. With the introduction of computers, the family business went for a toss and Sandeep's father had to quit the business to open a typewriter repairing shop.

Sandeep left his studies after he failed in Class X and since then he did not have any fixed source of income. During interrogation, he disclosed that Rana's brother, Vikram, who was his neighbour at Roorkee, had first asked to accompany him while meeting Rana during his appearances in Hardwar court. In the process, he met Rana on several occasions.

In November last when Rana started planning a get-away from Tihar, he along with Vikram lured Sandeep into the conspiracy saying that by helping him escape, he would be doing great service to his clan. Rana, who while surrendering in the Dehra Dun Press Club had claimed that he murdered Phoolan Devi to avenge the Behmai carnage, completely brainwashed Sandeep by offering him Rs. 6 lakhs and a brand new Maruti 800 car.

After his arrest, Sandeep disclosed that he had agreed to help Rana just because he was from his clan, but the offer of such a huge amount and the car motivated him enough to walk into the jail in the police uniform with confidence and whisk away Rana without raising any suspicion that he was just an impersonator.

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