New Delhi: The Special Cell of Delhi Police along with STF Meerut on Monday foiled an escape bid by a man, allegedly involved in several criminal cases, from the court complex in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
The joint team also arrested three associates of Pradeep Negi, allegedly involved in more than a dozen of cases of murder, attempt to murder, robbery and dacoity who had come to get him released.
Police said they recovered two country-made pistols of .315 bore along with nine live cartridges at their instance. Nine tablets of sedatives, meant to be used for drugging the police personnel, and one packet of chilli powder, have also been recovered.
"With the arrest, two dacoity cases of Meerut have also been worked out. Three desperate criminals Pulkit Sharma alias Gappi (26), Nitin (29) - brother of Pulkit Sharma - and Ravi (25), all residents of Meerut and close associates of Pradeep Negi, have been arrested near District Court Meerut," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.
Information was received that Negi now lodged in Tihar jail would try to escape with the help of his associates from police custody after drugging the police escort team today during his production in Meerut Court, said Yadav.
"Following the tip-off, a team of Special Cell was sent to Meerut to identify his associates and a discreet watch was kept upon suspected associates of Pradeep Negi in the court complex. These three associates of Pradeep Negi were apprehended today with the help of STF Meerut," he said.
Police claimed the trio, during interrogation, said they
had hatched a plan to secure the release of Pradeep Negi from police custody after drugging the police team escorting him to Meerut court.
They had planned to mix sedatives in water where the police team was supposed to have lunch and then throw chilli powder in their eyes after they became drowsy and thereafter flee with Negi at gun point, police said.
"They also disclosed that seven persons, including Pradeep Negi, had committed a dacoity in co-operative bank Meerut at gun point on and took away Rs 26 lakh.
"On the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, the arrested trio, along with their associates, had committed a night burglary in a Samsung Showroom in Meerut and taken away mobile phones worth Rs 30 lakh," said Yadav.
