The rape accused in police custody in Chandigarh. (Express Photo) The rape accused in police custody in Chandigarh. (Express Photo) THE AUTO RICKSHAW, used in an attempt-to-rape case on Sunday, was not registered with the State Transport Authority (STA) of Chandigarh but had a temporary registration number since March 2016. The auto, belonging to one Lalav Kumar, of Kajheri village, was bought with the documents of one Arti Devi of Attawa, a relative of Lalan, from an automobile agency based in Industrial Area, Phase-2. The auto, CH-105-T-222, is now a case property and remains impounded at Sector 36 Police Station. The accused Mukesh Kumar, arrested for attempting to rape and molest a Dehradun woman, had picked up the victim in the auto near Sector 35 to drop her off near the house of her friend in Sector 42 and he drove the three-wheeler to another place instead where he tried to commit the crime. The auto at the Sector 36 police station. (Express) The auto at the Sector 36 police station. (Express) A police officer said, “We managed to trace the auto owner Lalan because the accused Mukesh was nabbed by CTU bus driver and conductor. If CTU staff members could not nab him, it would have been very difficult to trace the auto and the accused. Lalan Kumar, whose auto was used in the crime, was sleeping at his home in Kajheri village when a police party knocked on his door. Lalan’s name came to light during the questioning of Mukesh. Expressing ignorance, Lalan claimed that his auto was parked outside the house. Lalan disclosed that he had purchased the three-wheeler with the documents of a woman relative in March 2016. He also claimed that he had failed to register his auto with STA as he lost some of his documents.” A person, buying an auto rickshaw, has to register it with the STA within a month. DSP (South) Harjeet Kaur said, “Though Lalan Kumar was not involved in the crime, we interrogated him to find out how he allowed Mukesh to take his auto at night. We also sought the purchasing documents of the three-wheeler from him and found that the auto was purchased in the name of his relative, Arti Devi. We are making a report on it and will send it to the STA.” Notably, in the gang rape of another Dehradun woman in November 2017, the victim was abducted in an auto, having a temporary number, which was also not registered with the STA. Later, three accused, Mohammed Irfan, Garib and Poppu, were arrested. The auto belonged to Irfan, who had been using it without registration for the last two years. For all the latest Chandigarh News, download Indian Express App

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