The murder convict, Anil Lala Samdade (36) from Wanowrie, made good his escape while leaving an inebriated jail sentry Raju Shamrao Sathe near the Bundgarden after they enjoyed dinner together on Sunday evening, said Deputy Inspector General of Police D N Davne. Sathe was apprehended and handed over to the Yerawada police by the authorities after he returned to the prison and reported the incident to them.

Meanwhile, the Yerawada police have launched a hunt to track down the escapee on the basis of a complaint lodged by the jail authorities. Davne said the preliminary investigations have revealed that Sathe had taken Samdade outside the jail illegally after the prisoner expressed a wish to visit his family residing at Wanowrie.

The jail sentry, who had lunch with the Samdades' allegedly allowed the prisoner to spend the entireafternoon with his family before the duo decided to dine out at a permit room in Wanowrie.

The duo was returning to the jail on the sentry's cycle when Samdade requested for a halt near Bundgarden and escaped while leaving sozzled Sathe behind, Davne stated.

Samdade, who was convicted for a murder was sentenced to life imprisonment on April 16, 1986. He was scheduled to be released from the jail on December 25, 1999. He was shifted to the open jail from the Yerawada Central Prison on April 5, 1998 due to his good conduct at the prison.

Sathe was transferred to Pune from Kolhapur about a year back as his conduct was not good. He was posted with the open jail ever since he came to Pune, Davne said.