PO in ₹30 theft case arrested after 31 years

KARNAL: Thirty-one years after he was booked, arrested and released on bail for stealing ₹30 from the pocket of a farmer in 1990, Kaithal police arrested the accused, a proclaimed offender. However, the court released him as he had already spent a night in the police custody immediately after the crime was committed.

The accused, Subhash Chand, 52, of Dhrondi village of Jind district, was declared a proclaimed offender by a local court in September 1996.

According to the case file, Karam Singh of Jaswanti village had filed a complaint on December 3, 1990, at the Kaithal sadar police station that he was standing at a bus-stand near Keorak village when the accused allegedly stole ₹30 from his pocket. On his complaint, Subhash was booked under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code.

Kaithal superintendent of police Lokender Singh said a day after the registration of the FIR, the police had arrested Subhash and also recovered the stolen money from his possession.

An official said Subhash was arrested and released on bail the next day by a court (December 4, 1990). However, after that, Subhash never showed up and on September 16, 1996, the then Kaithal judicial magistrate (1st Class) declared him proclaimed offender. Subhash was arrested on Tuesday under Kaithal police’s special drive to arrest proclaimed offenders.

A spokesperson said Subhash was produced in a local court on Wednesday and the court released him as he had already spent a night in the police custody. Subhash admitted before the court that he had stolen ₹30 when he was 21. “Subhash pleaded before the court that he has to take care of his mother, his paralyzed wife and two kids. The court released him,” said the spokesperson.