Gangster Binu missing after coming out on bail

Notorious gangster Binu Papachan, who came out of jail on conditional bail less than a week ago, has gone underground, police said. After he failed to appear at Mangadu police station to sign daily, as mandated by the bail conditions, police have declared him as absconding suspect and have approached the court to cancel the bail granted to him.

Binu had hit the headlines after city police busted his birthday party on February 7 – which garnered attention with a memorable image of him cutting a cake using a 2-foot long machete – and rounded up over 70 people. Though he initially escaped, Binu surrendered later, claiming he was only a small-time offender and not a gangster.

Binu obtained bail from the court in Sriperumbudur court on June 23 after promising to comply with the bail conditions –providing a surety and appearance daily before the investigation officer to sign the ledger – and came out of jail on June 26.

Now, following his failure to appear, Mangadu police have approached Sriperumbudur court to cancel the bail first. “Then, we will search for the absconding fugitive and also the persons who gave surety for Binu’s bail,” police said.

According to police sources, though Binu was released from Puzhal Central Prison after he obtained bail from the Sriperumbudur court, the bail order copy reached the Mangadu police a couple of days later. “We thought Binu would reach Mangadu station at least the next day. As he failed to turn up, police team went and searched for him at the address for communication he had given at the time of release.”

As Binu was not there, the police team reported the matter to senior police officers, and approached the court to cancel the bail granted to him.

Binu is facing at least 28 cases, including four murders reported in Poonamallee, Arumbakkam, Thousand Lights and Koyambedu, apart from extortion cases. For the past few years, Binu kept a low profile and lived underground before he surfaced to celebrate his birthday.