Cheap Gold Promise and a Shave: How Escaped Accused Outwitted Police Before Recapture in Ahmedabad

A rape accused who gave his police escort the slip by dangling the promise of cheap gold in Vastral has been captured in Ahmedabad after running through his cash in Mumbai and altering his appearance.

Radhe alias Gopal Rajeshbhai Thakkar, an under-trial prisoner booked at the Naroda police station, slipped away from Assistant Sub-Inspector Rajeshbhai Dayarambhai on 29 October 2026. A court verdict in the sensitive criminal case was scheduled for delivery the very next day, on 30 October.

The Escape Plot and Mumbai Excursion

The sequence of events began when the accused convinced the police escort that he could arrange gold at below-market rates. Enticed by the offer, the ASI escorted Thakkar to a jewellery shop in Vastral. Seizing an opportune moment during the visit, the accused fled the scene and immediately boarded a bus for Mumbai.

Police investigations revealed that Thakkar spent days laying low in Mumbai until his funds dried up completely. Forced to return to Gujarat, the fugitive landed back in Ahmedabad determined to elude a massive manhunt.

Disguise and Capture at Panjarapol

To avoid recognition by law enforcement agencies, Thakkar shaved his beard and cropped his hair short, completely transforming his visual profile. He spent his days moving through Gota, Shahibaug, Vatva, and Naroda aboard auto-rickshaws.

Acting on fresh intelligence, crime branch operatives intercepted him near the Panjarapol area. Cornered by investigators, Thakkar initially fed officers a fake name to derail the identification process. Sustained, rigorous interrogation ultimately broke his cover, prompting him to confess to his real identity and the daring escape.

Complicity of the Escorting Officer

Internal departmental inquiries exposed heavy irregularities surrounding the initial breakout. The escorting officer, ASI Rajeshbhai, had previously informed a colleague at Civil Hospital that the detainee was a personal relative, though verification confirmed no such familial tie existed.

Following the disappearance, the ASI attempted to mislead police headquarters by relaying false transmission logs to the control room. He initially claimed the escape occurred near Madhupura, later shifting the narrative to Vastral crossroads during evening briefings to cover up the lapse.

A separate criminal case was subsequently registered by Ramol police against both the escaped prisoner and the negligent police officer, paving the way for strict departmental and legal action.

Radhe alias Gopal Rajeshbhai Thakkar originally hails from Vadodara and previously operated a sweet shop in Mumbai. Investigators established that a severe addiction to cricket betting drained his finances, leading him into criminal circles where he met the victim in the Naroda case.