Mumbai: One of the suspects held for the murder of senior citizen Arunkumar Tikku fled police custody but was re-arrested after a nightlong manhunt. In the court, the suspect, Vijay Palande, claimed he was never arrested.
There were allegations of police torture by the man accused of murdering TV actor Anuj Tikku's father. "I am being framed. I have been beaten up," said Palande.
He told the court that he never absconded from custody and that he was not arrested at the time when police told media that he was arrested. He further claimed that Anuj was a friend and he was co-operating in the probe.
The court room drama was preceded by a massive midnight manhunt.
At around 9 pm on Tuesday, barely hours after his arrest, Palande allegedly escaped from police custody while he was being transferred to a lock-up. He was finally arrested four hours later from the Churchgate station.
"Strict action should be taken. If such an incident has occurred the policemen should first be suspended and then inquiry must be carried out. It has not happened here," said Julio Rebeiro, former commissioner of police, Mumbai.
Another accused in the case, Dhananjay Shinde, told court that he wanted to confess while another accused, Manoj Gajkosh, claimed he was tortured. Court has ordered for medical examination of both Palande and Manoj, and has sent them to police custody till April 23.
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