Policemen watch as rape convict escapes from hospital

Mumbai: In a testimony to the lax security arrangement on the part of the police as well as the JJ hospital staff, a rape convict ran away from the hospital, under complete police bandobast, last Saturday morning. The CCTV cameras at the facility have not been of help to the local JJ Marg police, who have launched a manhunt for the convict.

The runaway, Altaf Ahmed Shaikh (27), was found guilty of rape in 2010 and was lodged in Kolhapur Central Jail. He was brought to Mumbai recently for medical treatment, when he grabbed the opportunity to make a clean break right under police watch, as a police officials went to get his discharge papers. He also has cases of cheating registered against him in the Oshiwara and the Amboli police stations, and the cases are under trial.  

Some wiggle room

The security lapse occurred after February 15, when Assistant Police Sub-Inspector A S Kadam and Head Constable D A Hazare, attached to Kolhapur Police (HQ), escorted Shaikh to Mumbai; he had been summoned by the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

"After the court hearing that evening, the accused was escorted to Mumbai Central ST stand, when he started vomiting blood and was taken to Nair hospital. The doctors examined him and advised to get him admitted at JJ hospital," said ASI Kadam in his statement to the JJ Marg police.

According to the police, Shaikh was admitted to the room adjacent to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) on the first floor of JJ hospital and was under treatment for acute febrile respiratory illness. He was to be discharged on Saturday morning.

Assistant Police Inspector B D Bansode, also the detection officer at JJ Marg police station,  said, "Around 11.30 am, one of the policemen went to obtain the discharge certificate, while Shaikh was handcuffed to the hospital bed as the other officials guarded him. A few minutes later, the constable went to the toilet. Shaikh took advantage of the situation; he managed to wiggle out of the handcuffs, broke the sliding window grill by pushing it hard, and got out. Minutes before the policemen returned to the ward, he had jumped over the parapet. They saw him running away; they were shouting behind him from where they stood, but it was too late," Bansode said.

No effort was made by the cops on duty to catch the absconding accused, even as he made a run for it in front of them. Bansode added, "Preliminary inquiries reveal that the address given by the accused in Ghatkopar (W) is fake. We are searching every possible area and are likely to arrest him soon."

Recurring lapse

Police officials said that the incident has again brought in question the nexus between the JJ hospital staff, police escorts and criminals.

Deputy Inspector General (Prison, West Region) Surinder Kumar said, "Last year, we found out that many convicted prisoners lodged in central prisons outside Mumbai would find reasons to come to JJ hospital, with the connivance of jail superintendents and local doctors there. We have now made it mandatory that convicted prisoners should be brought to the Mumbai hospital only if the local hospitals do not have advanced medical facilities. Moreover, such cases should be referred only with a covering note from the dean of the hospital."

Kumar said, "In this particular case, it is sheer negligence on the part of the policemen who escorted the prisoner. The policemen did not follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) wherein until the other escort team turns up, the constable on duty cannot move."

He will now be writing to all the police officials involved in escort duty of convicts and undertrial prisoners, stating that the SOP should be followed strictly and that they should be lodged at ward no 44 (prisoners' ward) in the hospital for treatment. Also it is mandatory to use new handcuffs instead of the old ones which cannot be adjusted according to the wrist of the accused."

He added, "Surprise checks would be conducted hereafter along with Mumbai police at JJ hospital to keep a tab on any nexus between the hospital staff, escort police and prisoner. If anybody is found violating the norms, stringent action as per law will be taken."

Policespeak

Vijaysinh Jadhav, superintendent of police, Kolhapur, told MiD DAY, "A departmental inquiry has been initiated against the policemen, and necessary action would be taken against them once the report come to me."

Asked why old handcuffs were used in the first place, Jadhav said, "Though new handcuffs are available at every police station, the old ones are still in use and have not been completely made obsolete."

Principal Secretary (Prison) Medha Gadgil said, "I will look into the lapses and speak to the officials concerned."

Hospital says

The hospital dean T P Lahane said, "The patient was given the required treatment and was discharged accordingly. He was in the custody of police when he escaped."

Asked why the patient was not treated in the prisoners' ward, Lahane said, "Since he was bleeding from the mouth, we had to keep him under observation. The prisoners' ward does not have the MICU facility."

A case has been registered under Section 224 (resistance/obstruction of lawful apprehension) of the Indian Penal Code.

Minister speaks

Meanwhile, State Home Minister Satej Patil told MiD DAY from Kolhapur, "The need of the hour is to enhance the facilities of video conference from the jail itself instead of transporting the undertrial from one place to another.

"Very shortly, I will call a high-level meeting to ascertain the means that can be introduced to ensure that undertrials do not get admitted to JJ hospital for false treatment. If any discrepancy is found, even the doctors involved wouldn't be spared."