The mastermind behind the escape of gangster Deepak Tinu from police custody in Mansa was arrested, Punjab Police said on Monday. Chirag, a brother of Tinu, has been arrested, said Inspector General of Police (Patiala Range) M S Chhina in Patiala.
Two pistols and a car used to help Tinu escape have been recovered from Chirag, added Chhina. “Chirag was the mastermind in the escape of Tinu,” said Chhina addressing the media in Patiala district.
There was a plan to facilitate Tinu’s escape from the country via Nepal, said police. It was Chirag who had come in a car to pick Tinu and his girlfriend from outside the residence of dismissed cop Pritpal Singh in Mansa, said police.
Chirag took Tinu and his female companion to Rajasthan and other places to hide them, said police. Tinu, one of the accused in singer Sidhu Moosewala's murder, had escaped from the custody of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) unit of the Mansa Police one October 1 night.
Pritpal Singh, who was the CIA In-charge Mansa, had allegedly taken him in his vehicle to his official residence to facilitate a meeting with the gangster's alleged girlfriend. Later, the gangster along with the alleged female friend had escaped. Police in the wake of the incident dismissed and apprehended Pritpal Singh.
Tinu was nabbed from Ajmer in Rajasthan by the Delhi Police on October 19, while his girlfriend had already been nabbed by the Punjab Police. With Chirag's arrest, eight people have been arrested in connection with the escape.
(With PTI Inputs)
