Murder Convict Caught After 36 Years: How Pradeep Saxena Changed Identity But Couldn't Escape Justice

Pradeep Saxena has been apprehended following 36 years as a fugitive

Bareilly (UP):

Both time and documentation share one notable quality - they preserve the truth indefinitely. Thirty-six years ago, Pradeep Saxena from Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly evaded police custody after receiving a life sentence for murdering his brother. Despite changing his religion, name, and physical appearance, justice eventually prevailed.

In 1987, authorities implicated Saxena in his brother's murder, resulting in his conviction by 1989. However, Saxena violated his parole terms and successfully disappeared from the authorities' radar.

He relocated to Moradabad, approximately 100 kilometers distant, and reinvented himself as Abdul Rahim. He cultivated a beard and secured employment as a driver. As years transformed into decades, Saxena—now living as Abdul—believed he had successfully escaped both his history and his legal consequences.

The justice system, however, remained vigilant. On October 16, the Allahabad High Court mandated police to present Saxena within four weeks. Law enforcement officials revisited the long-dormant case files and assembled a dedicated team to locate the missing convict.

When police contacted Saxena's brother, Suresh, who still resided in Bareilly, they discovered that the convicted murderer had changed both his religion and identity. Further investigation revealed that Saxena had actually returned to Bareilly for personal business, presuming that authorities had forgotten his case. This assumption proved incorrect, resulting in his arrest and subsequent court appearance.

"During interrogation, he admitted to being Pradeep Kumar Saxena and confirmed that he had violated parole in 1989. He established residence in Moradabad and converted his religion in 2002 to evade legal consequences. He appeared before the court yesterday," stated a police report.

Bareilly city police chief Manush Parikh informed media representatives that Saxena was convicted of both murder and theft in the 1987 case. "Pradeep Saxena had challenged his sentence in the high court before violating parole. When the high court directed police to arrest him, we discovered he had concealed his identity and converted his religion to escape legal accountability."

The senior officer further revealed that Saxena married a Muslim woman in Moradabad where he established his new life. "He was convicted for his brother's murder and received a life imprisonment sentence. His arrest comes 36 years after his crime," he confirmed.

Contributions by Randeep Singh