With arrest in Madhya Pradesh, all accused in police net

With a Punjab Police team having picked up Sandeep Rampal from Ramgarh village in Madhya Pradesh (MP) on Wednesday, all five accused wanted for the murder of ASI Ravinderpal Singh have now been arrested. The police picked up Rampal from a dhaba in the village, some 90 kilometres from Bhopal.

He is now being brought to Punjab after the state police managed to obtain transit remand by producing him before the Ilaqa Magistrate at Kuwai in MP's Vidisha district. The four others — prime accused Ranjit Singh Rana, Dharamjit Singh Dharma, Gurbir Singh Bira and Vikramjit Bunty — have already been remanded to judicial custody.

Police have also arrested Prabhjit Singh, an associate of the men, for providing the accused shelter and for allegedly opening fire on a police party. He has been charged with attempt to murder.

Sources said a team of the CIA in Amritsar, had been camping in and around Ramgarh village for the last four days, as inputs had revealed that Rampal's maternal relatives lived in Madhya Pradesh.

They added that the team achieved a breakthrough after posing as civilians.

The case, that shocked a nation, has seen many developments. ASI Ravinderpal Singh was gunned down allegedly by Rana on December 5 after the former intervened when his daughter was being harassed. Police had arrested Rana, Dharamjit and Prabhjit next day. Bira and Bunty were arrested by police on December 7 and December 12, respectively.

Then, Chheharta SHO Ashwani Kumar was dismissed from the service for dereliction of duty as the Chheharta police station is a stone's throw from the crime scene. Head constable Jasbir Singh, who accompanied the ASI at the time of incident but ran away to his police post without even bothering to sound an alert to Chheharta police station located on his way, was suspended. ASI Varinder Kumar was transferred to police lines for failing to respond to the situation. An inquiry has been marked to probe the role of other officials posted at Chheharta police station.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Theatres cancel Shootout at Wadala shows

Rail traffic hit due to protests over Sajjan's acquittal

Family of 1971 POW awaits his return from Pak, fears for his life

Anti-Pakistan protests erupt in Sarabjit's native village