Escape expert caught fourth time

NEW DELHI - Delhi Police arrested a man who had escaped from custody three times in the past. The man is wanted in 19 criminal cases, including murder, kidnapping and extortion, an official said Saturday.

Vikram Rampal (36) was arrested along with his associate Mohammed Altaf Friday from the Kalkaji bus depot in south Delhi. Two country-made pistols with four live cartridges were recovered from them.

Rampal has been a wanted criminal since 1990, according to police. He escaped from custody in 1993, 1996 and 2010.

“Rampal started committing crimes in south Delhi in 1986 after dropping out from a reputed school. Four years later, he got involved in a murder case in which he was arrested and then sentenced to life imprisonment,” a police official said.

According to police, Rampal escaped from police custody for the first time Oct 7, 1993 from the Patiala House Court premises. He was later caught in 1995.

He again got away while being taken to the same court for a hearing July 16, 1996, and was caught again 13 days later.

Rampal’s third escape Nov 24, 2010 was from the Maulana Azad Medical College where he was brought for dental treatment.

“He had also jumped parole twice and committed extortion. He demanded Rs.1 crore from Lakhani Group in 1999 when he was out on parole in Faridabad,” added the official.

Rampal again got into the act and extorted Rs.100,000 from a resident of Ashok Vihar area of north Delhi Feb 19, 2009 when he was out on a one-month parole. He was arrested and the amount was recovered, the official said.