Woman arrested in cyber fraud case escapes police custody during train journey

Kota (Rajasthan): A woman arrested in connection with a Rs 4-crore cyber fraud escaped from police custody while she was being taken to Pune from Haryana in a train, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday. The accused, Saniya (24) alias Gudiya alias Sofia Siddique, was arrested from her home in Haryana's Faridabad on February 17, Government Railway Police (GRP) said.

An FIR was registered against Saniya in Pune in connection with a cyber fraud of Rs 4 crore. A team of Pune police comprising one woman constable and four male constables had arrested her and was taking her to Pune by Duronto Express, they said.

The accused somehow managed to free her hands from handcuffs, ditched the constables and fled from custody around 4:10 am on Sunday, they added.

The Pune police team realised that the woman had escaped when the train reached Ratlam station. The team searched for the woman and based on CCTV footage, it reached Kota, where a complaint was lodged in the matter on Monday, the officials said.

Efforts are being made to trace the woman, said Manoj Soni, Circle Inspector at GRP police station, Kota.

Initial investigation revealed that she stayed at a lodge on Mala Road here for a few hours before leaving, he said.