Bhopal: Five Scuffle With Cops To Help Wanted Accused Escape, Booked

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Crime branch police have arrested two persons for scuffling with the cops to help a wanted man escape from their clutches, officials said on Friday. A case has also been registered against five others for the offence, officials added. The wanted man and his accomplices had also fired at people who had alerted on spotting him.

ASI Chandrabhan Singh Gurjar said Devesh Vidua, 41, had approached police complaining against Sonu Pachauri, accusing him of fraud and extortion. Crime branch was on the lookout for Pachauri since then. On Thursday night, Vidua, his friend Himanshu and brother-in-law Punit were heading to their home when they spotted Pachauri. They informed the crime branch personnel about the Pachauri presence in the area. The cops told Vidua and others to keep following Pachauri and his accomplices, until they (cops) arrived and apprehended him.

As Pachauri and his six accomplices reached the old city, the crime branch personnel intercepted them. In a bid to escape they fled to Platinum plaza. Vidua and his companions followed the group there too. As Pachauri saw Vidua and his companions, he and his group fired at him. The trio, however, managed to dodge the bullets by hiding behind a car.

Crime branch cops rushed to the spot and nabbed Pachauri. In a bid to help Pachauri escape, his accomplices Gaurav, Ashwani Sharma, Prateek Joshi and three others began scuffling with the cops. As the cops were busy handling them, Pachauri managed to give them a slip. The police, however, collared Ashwani Sharma and Prateek, while a case has been registered against five others, who are at large. 

The names of the accused who have been arrested were under the scanner of income tax department, which had conducted searches at their houses located in Platinum Plaza in 2019 .