Vikas Dubey’s close aide surrenders in court

New Delhi, July 31: Slain gangster Vikas Dubey's close aide Gopal Saini, who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on him, surrendered before a special court in Kanpur Dehat on Wednesday, a government counsel said.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Kanpur Police were on the lookout for Saini since July 3 after eight policemen, including Deputy SP Devendra Kumar Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops, said an official.

District Government Counsel (criminal) Raju Porwal told PTI that Gopal Saini, accused in the killing of eight policemen, surrendered before the special court (UP dacoity-affected area) at Maati in Kanpur Dehat.

Saini's advocate had moved an application for his surrender before the court, Porwal said but did not elaborate on the details of the application.

Superintendent of Police (rural), Brajesh Srivastava confirmed that Gopal Saini has surrendered before the court in Kanpur Dehat.

"We have decided to move an application before the court requesting for his police custody so that he can be questioned properly and information about other members of Vikas Dubey's gang who are still evading arrest can be obtained," he said.

Initially, a cash reward of Rs 50,000 was announced on Saini but it was later increased to Rs 1 lakh, the police officer said.

Dubey was shot dead in an encounter on the outskirts of Kanpur on July 10. Earlier, five members of the Dubey gang were killed in separate encounters.