RAWALPINDI, Dec 4: Taji Khokhar’s son, a murder suspect who had been on the run since Monday, finally surrendered to the police on Wednesday after backdoor meetings between the police and his family, police sources told Dawn.

Farrukh Khokhar, son of Imtiaz Khokhar alias Taji Khokhar, had escaped from a police van on Monday with the help of about two dozen armed men.

Though no efforts were made by the police who were guarding the murder suspect at the time of the escape, sources said a late night raid was later carried out by the Elite Force commandos at the residence of Taji Khokhar in Dhoke Gangal.

They said a large number of weapons were seized from the residence and 13 people were arrested.

According to the sources, some senior police officials contacted Taji Khokhar after his son Farrukh escaped.

Taji Khokhar was traveling in a separate prison van just ahead of the police van in which Farrukh and his brother Umar were seated.

After the meeting, Taji Khokhar was handed over to the jail authorities, the police sources maintained.

Attempts to convince Khokhar’s family to hand over Farrukh proved successful after the family was assured that the accused would be dealt with according to law and provided security as he was facing threats to his life.

Farrukh Khokhar and his brother were arrested by the Airport police on August 18, 2012.

They were accused of being involved in the murder of Sabira Bibi, wife of Raja Yaqoob, over a property dispute.

The two brothers, along with two other close aides of the family, were being tried following the recovery of a weapon in the murder case.

On Monday, Taji Khokhar and his two sons were brought to the court of Civil Judge Qasir Hussain Maral amid tight security as the accused had been declared ‘dangerous prisoners’ by the police.

After the hearing, they were being taken back to Central Jail Adiala in a police van when three double-cabin vehicles blocked the vehicle near Adiala jail.

The men managed to grab Farrukh from the van and escaped successfully. However, Umar Khokhar did not escape with his brother.

On the other hand, police are claiming that Farrukh had not surrendered but had been arrested.

When contacted, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operation Mian Maqbool said Taji Khokhar’s son had escaped from police custody but was later apprehended while fleeing to Lahri Village Adiala.

He said after the accused was arrested, he was brought back and a fresh case was registered regarding his escape from police custody.

The SSP quoted Farrukh as saying in his statement, “fleeing from police custody was a mistake”.

SSP Maqbool said the accused would also be investigated in connection with the weapons used by his gunmen and he would be asked to identify all those involved in his escape.

Farrukh Khokhar was kept in a lockup at the Civil Lines police station amid tight security, the SSP added.

Meanwhile, the six suspects identified in the First Information Report registered with the police regarding Farrukh’s escape are yet to be apprehended.

Previously, City Police Officer Akhtar Umar Laleka had written a letter to the interior ministry requesting it to place Farrukh Khokhar’s name on the Exit Control List to prevent him from escaping abroad.