Fugitive Life Convict Caught After 37 Years Living as a Sadhu in Madhya Pradesh

For decades, the convicted criminal evaded law enforcement by relocating between religious sites in Madhya Pradesh. (Representational)

Shahjahanpur:

A man sentenced to life imprisonment for a 1986 acid attack case, who had been absconding for approximately 37 years after being released on bail, has been apprehended in Madhya Pradesh where he was living disguised as a 'sadhu', according to police statements on Friday.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Dwivedi informed PTI that the convict, identified as Rajesh alias Raju, was located and arrested at the Gayatri Shaktipith in Shivpuri district, 37 years after he failed to appear for his bail requirements.

The incident dates back to August 1986, when complainants Gangadeen (who worked as a cashier) and Om Prakash Rastogi were traveling by rickshaw to their jewelry shop in the Tilhar police station area of Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district, carrying a bottle of acid used for cleaning jewelry.

Rajesh confronted them and physically assaulted them. During the confrontation, he grabbed the acid bottle and threw its contents on both men, causing serious injuries, the SP explained.

Authorities filed charges against Rajesh under former IPC sections 326 (inflicting grievous harm using corrosive substances) and 307 (attempted murder). On May 30, 1988, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a seven-year term for attempted murder.

After his conviction, the high court granted him bail, but he subsequently never returned to the trial court, which resulted in a warrant being issued for his arrest, Dwivedi stated.

For decades, the convicted man avoided capture by frequently moving between various religious locations across neighboring districts, staying at each place for two to four months. Eventually, he established himself at the Gayatri Shaktipith in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, where he lived under the guise of a religious monk.

Dwivedi noted that the arrest was made possible through the use of advanced surveillance technology, including fingerprint records stored on police databases such as NAFIS (National Automated Fingerprint Identification System).

The convict has been placed in judicial custody, the SP added.