Terror suspect wanted over Indian prison break acquitted over HK crime, will face extradition

An Indian-born Hong Kong resident, wanted in his home country for allegedly masterminding a dramatic prison break and terrorism offenses, will face an extradition hearing next month, after a court acquitted him of a handling goods charge, according to reports.

The acquittal, which related to two stolen suitcases containing various currencies worth about HK$3 million (US$382,000), marked the second unsuccessful attempt to prosecute Ramanjit Singh, also known as Romi, for a local crime.

Police also withdrew a robbery charge related to a heist in Kowloon involving more than 450 million Japanese yen (US$4 million) in June.

Ramanjit remains wanted in India and is the subject of a Interpol fugitive notice that accuses him to a litany of alleged offenses, including terrorist acts.

The was not enough evidence, however, to prove he or his flatmate, Dilpreet Singh, 24 were connected with two stolen suitcases containing US dollars and euros, a District Court judge ruled, wrote Hong Kong Economic Times.

A third co-accused, 25-year-old Gursewak Singh, however, was found guilty.

Singh was spotted in Tai Kok Tsui on March 12 last year wheeling one of the suitcases — which had been stolen from a businessman about half an hour before. Dilpreet and Ramanjit were walking “in very close proximity”. The trio fled upon seeing police, who gave chase. Another case stolen in the robbery was also recovered in the nearby building.

Ramanjit told investigators he did not know anything about Gursewak, the SCMP reports.

India has lodged an extradition request for the suspect, a hearing over which will be heard at the Eastern Magistrates’ Court on September 13, wrote the SCMP.

Raised and educated in Hong Kong, Ramanjit allegedly fled to the city in June 2016 after being released on bail from a prison in Nabha, Punjab, where he had been held over possessing stolen cars, pistols, and fake credit cards, the Times of India has reported.

In Hong Kong, he allegedly “set up a control room” and helped mastermind a dramatic November 2016 breakout from the Nahba prison, in which armed men disguised as police attacked the high-security complex, freeing a Sikh militant commander and several others.

The Times of India reported that he sent money to finance the jailbreak and coordinated the escapees’ movement while they were on the run.