Convict serving lifer arrested for helping inmate escape custody

Dattawadi police arrested Nitin Shantilal Modha (33), an accused in Sagar Sahani murder case, in the evening yesterday on charges of helping Yogesh Raut escape from police custody in September 2011 from Sassoon Hospital.

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Raut is an accused in software engineer Nayana Pujari gang rape and murder case.u00a0Modha, who hails from Porbandar in Gujarat, is lodged in Yerawada Central Prison since July 21, 2006.

He is serving a life sentence after being convicted in December 2012 for kidnapping and murdering Sagar Sahani, son of a businessman from Pimpri-Chinchwad in August 2005.

Raut, along with three other accomplices, was arrested in the Nayana Pujari case in October 2009. He was shifted to Yerawada jail after his initial police custody expired. It was here that Raut got acquainted with Modha.

He told Raut that he could get admitted to Sassoon Hospital, if he bribed the prison doctor. Accordingly, Raut bribed the doctor and got himself admitted to Sassoon, from where he escaped.

Police Inspector Satish Govekar, who was then serving at the Crime Branch, nabbed Raut in Shirdi on May 31. During interrogation, Raut revealed Modha's involvement in his escape plan.

Based on the revelation made to the court, Modha was taken into custody yesterday and will be produced in court today, said an official of the Dattawadi police station. u00a0