Police hot on Phoolan killer's trail

By Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI, AUG. 2. Even as the Delhi police today remained tightlipped about the controversy surrounding the ``identity'' of prime accused Sher Singh Rana alias Pankaj alias Sheru, the Uttaranchal police announced that it was one of Sher Singh's own employees who had gone to jail masquerading as Sher Singh.

The police, however, are yet to establish how the accused managed to plant another person, Shravan, in jail. Hailing from Bihar, Shravan -- who worked at the liquor vend run by Sher Singh in Roorkee -- had apparently appeared before the court as Sher Singh. A search has now been launched to nab him.

On the other hand, the Delhi police claimed that interrogation of the four accused had revealed Sher Singh's involvement in several heinous crimes, including dacoity and robbery. Interestingly, he was untraceable all these years though he stayed in Roorkee.

Police said Sher Singh was found involved in a robbery case at Dehra Dun in 1997. Along with his accomplices, identified as Amit and Ashutosh Goshwami, he targeted a new car even before it was registered.

After three years, Sher Singh surfaced again committing a daring dacoity in Dehra Dun in which he along with his accomplices -- Vicky, Shravan, Rajender and Raju -- looted Rs.10 lakhs from Punjab National Bank. The police said a manhunt had been launched to nab Sher Singh's accomplices, mainly Pankaj Kalra who is said to be very close to Sher Singh. He reportedly owns the liquor vend run by Sher Singh in Roorkee. The police said Sher Singh and his accomplices shot at security guards stationed at the banks where they committed robberies. Earlier this year, members of his gang -- Vicky, Rajender, Shrawan and Raju -- targeted Punjab National Bank in Roorkee and looted Rs. 15 lakhs after shooting at the security guard. The culprits, who fled with the guard's weapon, had remained untraced till now.

During interrogation, Sher Singh allegedly confessed to having stolen a car at Dehra Dun in January this year. This was the very place where Sher Singh alias Pankaj surrendered publicly last week after allegedly gunning down the Samajwadi Party MP, Phoolan Devi, outside her 44 Ashoka Road residence in New Delhi.

The police, now struggling to prove that Sher Singh was not in Hardwar Jail when Phoolan's murder took place, are still collecting sufficient proof to justify their stand. The Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Mr. Qamar Ahmed, said today that a team had been sent to Hardwar to investigate the matter. Three more teams have been camping in Roorkee to trace other suspects.

In another major development, Keshav Chauhan, who had allegedly picked up the country-made weapons dumped at the scene of crime by Sher Singh and his accomplice, Rajender alias Ravinder, was nabbed in Bhadohi and brought to Delhi today. He is being interrogated.

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