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Bangkok police confirm
Rajan's escape story

A source said the Scientific Crime Detection Division examined a mountain-climbing rope and a pulley recovered from the hospital room and confirmed Rajan's version, it said.

Pol Col Chuan Voravanich, deputy commander of the division, has now forwarded the results to Pol Col Mantharn Abhaiwong, investigation chief of Thonglor police station.

The division claimed that the 13mm diameter and 40 metre long rope was capable of taking the weight of at least 200 kg. It also said that scratches on the rope led to the belief that it had been used. Cement powder was also found on it.

The findings confirm Rajan's claim, in a telephone interview with two Indian television channels, that he was helped out of the room by a professional mountaineering team.

A man was seen buying mountaineering gear and tools from a shop in Soi Rangnam, the Post reported.

Sources told the Post that Pol Maj-Gen Krisda Pankongchuen, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, had ordered deputy, Pol Col Paiboon Ariyawat to investigate a report that police officers had visited Rajan at the hospital to receive money.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai had said that he believed Rajan could not have escaped without help.

In a related development, the south Bangkok criminal court adjourned the case against three Pakistanis charged with attempting to kill Rajan till February 6.

Sher Khan, 36, Muhamad Saleem, 33, and Muhamad Yusouf, 45, were arrested after gunmen raided an apartment on Sukhumvit Soi 21 on September 15. Rajan and a woman, Sikandi Hama, were wounded and Michael D'Souza, Rajan's associate, was killed.

The hearing was adjourned after a defence lawyer said an interpreter he had requested from the Pakistani embassy was not available.

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