Flash in a PAN as police nab murderer through IT number

Later, the trio fled the state. The card was the only clue left behind by the accused. The arrested youth are identified as Surinder Kumar Katiyar, resident of Jajjer, Haryana, Ramesh Kamal and Ajay Kumar. The latter hail from Delhi. Whereas Katiyar the prime accused, is a highly qualified computer professional, Ramesh and Ajay were unemployed. Police have recovered Rs 3.81 lakhs and the weapon used in the crime from the accused.

On the day of crime, police did not find anything on the spot to lead them towards either Haryana or Delhi. It was the next day when the policemen visited the spot again, that they noticed a PAN card lying nearby, said Rajinder Sharma, Station House Officer Bagh-e-Bahu Police Station, who handled the case. “Tracing a culprit from the card of the deceased was difficult,” the SHO remarked. Despite this, police decided to contact the IT-Department. They finally succeeded in identifying the deceased and locating his whereabouts. Police later came to know that the signature on the PAN card were that of IT commissioner, Rohtak.

Police met the family members of the deceased in Haryana and short-listed few people whom they suspected would be involved in the murder. Family members, among others, had also named Katiyar who was a family friend. After days of investigation, Katiyar was arrested. “We would not have suspected Katiyar’s involvement, had he not applied for visa,” Sharma said. On his confession, the two others were arrested from Delhi.

The prime accused is an engineering graduate and carries a Masters of Computers Application degree. Failing to get a job, he ventured into a finance company with his school friend Ranjan Kumar, who then worked at a community health centre in Jajjer. The purpose was to dupe depositors.

They made about eight lakh rupees within a few months. To have the full share of the money, Katiyar got rid of Kumar. Being physically weak, however, he employed two other friends from Delhi to accomplish the task, promising them Rs 40,000 for the help.

Notably, Katiyar confessed to the crime immediately after his arrest. He said they hatched a conspiracy and brought Kumar to visit the Valley. R R Swain, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, said the accused had tried to kill Kumar at several places. “However, everywhere the presence of forces prevented them, before finding the spot at Bagh-e-Bahu,” he said.

The benefits of the PAN card are not yet fully capitalised in the state. The cards here are in fact, prepared at the IT Department’s computer centre in Amritsar. PAN has of late become a symbol of respect for citizens and the government has been appealing for more people to go in for a Permanent Account Number. “We issue it to those who have been paying returns, and many of them are given samman patras

by the government,” said Income Tax Commissioner B D Kaler.