COIMBATORE: A police constable was arrested, and three other police personnel, including a Special Sub-Inspector (SSI), were suspended after they facilitated the escape of an interstate fraudster from the prisoners' ward of the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) in return for a bribe.
The accused, Bheemudu Ajith Kumar, a native of Andhra Pradesh, is wanted in more than 40 cheating cases across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Police said Kumar allegedly orchestrated large-scale online vehicle sale scams, duping victims of several crores of rupees through fraudulent listings on digital platforms.
According to investigators, Kumar had previously escaped from police custody in Andhra Pradesh after securing admission to a government hospital by feigning illness. He was recently arrested in connection with a Rs 10 lakh cheating case filed by a Tirupur resident and was remanded to judicial custody. He was lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison last week.
Police said Kumar subsequently complained of health issues and was admitted to the prisoners' ward at CMCH for treatment. However, he managed to escape from the hospital after claiming that he needed to use the restroom.
"Special police teams were immediately formed to trace the accused. He was tracked down at Mecheri in Salem district while allegedly attempting to flee to Karnataka and was brought back to Coimbatore," a police officer said.
Accused Kumar had previously escaped from police custody in Andhra Pradesh after securing admission to a government hospital by feigning illness
Subsequent inquiries revealed that the escape was allegedly facilitated by police personnel in exchange for money. Investigators found that grade-II constable Sheikh Mohammed Roshan, who was on duty at the prisoners' ward, had allegedly received an advance payment of Rs 20,000 through a digital transaction to aid the accused's escape and was promised a larger sum later.
Roshan was arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Departmental action has also been initiated against him. In a parallel disciplinary action, Coimbatore City Police Commissioner N. Kannan placed Special Sub-Inspector Periyasamy and constables Bharathidasan and Ashok Kumar under suspension on charges of negligence and dereliction of duty.
Police also arrested Vijayakumar, a cab driver accused of assisting Kumar in his attempt to flee after escaping from the hospital. Further investigations are underway to ascertain whether any others were linked to the accused.