Notorious criminal to be grilled on his mafia links

LUCKNOW: One of the most wanted accused of UP, Sudhakar Pandey, who surrendered before a city court on Thursday after being on the run for eight years will be interrogated on his hideouts and alleged links with different mafia groups.

He was said to be staying in Nepal, Malaysia and Thailand while on the run after his escape from police custody from Lucknow district court on September 28, 2010.

Pandey carried a reward of ₹50,000 on his head.

Vikas Chandra Tripathi, ASP (West), said the Wazirganj police moved an application in court for Pandey’s custody remand to interrogate him. He said the motive behind Pandey’s surrender would also be probed. As Pandey stayed in different countries, it will also be ascertained how he managed to get passport.

It is suspected that Pandey, who is a native of Lakhimpur Kheri, managed to get the passport as a Nepal national on forged identity and thereafter moved to other countries, he said.

Tripathi said the accused was in touch with several people in UP during his stay abroad.

So far, six criminal cases are registered against him in Lucknow and Gopalganj district of Bihar.

The list includes two sensational murder cases, said the officer.

Pandey was the key accused in the murder of Lucknow University Students’ Union (LUSU) former general secretary Vinod Tripathi in Gomti Nagar on December 11, 2007, said the ASP.