KOCHI: A city-based gang’s attempt to avoid arrest by settling the issue with a victim in a dacoity case backfired, after the police sabotaged the deal and convinced a local court to reject the anticipatory bail plea of the accused.
The incident pertaining to the case happened on July 8, around midnight. Five persons including the arrested — identified as Praveen Prince, 23, of Ernakulam, and Hafis Muhammed, 24, of Padivattom — trespassed into the residence of Arun Raj at Cheranalloor, and took his car valued around `9 lakh and two puppies, according to the victim’s complaint.
“We registered a case based on the complaint lodged by Arun Raj. The accused were booked under sections 452 and 395 of IPC, and a detailed probe is on. Fearing arrest, the accused settled the issue with the complainant and submitted the agreement before the court after filing anticipatory bail pleas,” said an officer.
However, their attempt fell flat as the court rejected anticipatory bail stating that “the case of settling the matter between the parties is immaterial. Grave offences like dacoity are not private in nature and have serious impact on society.”
The officer said the accused claimed they had some financial dealings with the complainant. “We also suspect that the accused could be part of a gang that operate on behalf of a money-lending mafia that demand high interest rates,” the officer said.
The accused had contended that Arun Raj had borrowed money from them, and on the day of the incident, he called them to his house to return the money but gave his car as security instead. Though Arun later filed a false complaint, he changed his mind and decided not to pursue the complaint after friends from either side intervened and settled the matter, the accused claimed.