Police drive to nab criminals evading arrest for decades

Pune: Shaikh Yasim Mohammad, Pitamber Narayan Pavitram Ajoba, Janardhan Baburao Jadhav and Krishna Lingraj Pujari have one thing in common: Booked for various offences, they are all wanted by the police but have managed to evade arrest for more than 30 years.
Their names, along with many others, continue to figure in the list of 33 wanted and 2,634 absconding criminals released by the Pune police four days after fugitive Ram Yallappa Sonawale was arrested almost 20 years after he, and 13 others, had escaped from a police van near Mula road in Khadki. This list has been sent to 39 police stations and the crime branch to launch a special drive to arrest them.

The drive stipulates classifying the criminals into three categories — hardcore, active and inactive — based on the gravity and intensity of their crimes. Moreover, a dossier on the criminals will also be prepared. Pune police had arrested 100 wanted and seven absconding criminals in 2017, while 22 wanted criminals were arrested between January 1 and February 26, 2018.

Talking of the 16 wanted criminals figuring on Khadak police station’s records, senior inspector Rajendra Mokashi said, “The police station was set up in 1926 when the neighbouring Samarth, Faraskhana and Vishrambaug police stations were not there. The names of wanted and absconding criminals even in those areas continue to remain on our record. There are no new wanted criminals on our record for the past four years.” Mokaski added, “We will launch a drive to trace the criminals and ascertain their current status — arrested, convicted or acquitted. We will also check the records of the municipal corporations to find out if a criminal is dead or alive. If a criminal has passed away, his name will be struck off.”

Senior officials said that even after many years, it is possible to catch the criminals.

Deputy commissioner of police Basavraj Telgi said, “I am reviewing the list of criminals on the run at the police stations that come under Zone I. If specific information about the criminals’ whereabouts is received even after many years, the police stations work on them.”

DCP Deepak Sakore said, “I have asked the in-charges of all police stations in Zone IV to verify the present and last-known address of criminals and collect information to arresting them at the earliest. Criminals can be arrested if there are constant follow-ups.”

Kondhwa police’s senior inspector Milind Gaikwad said, “The DGP has issued instructions to conduct drives to arrest criminals. We will conduct a drive between March 1 and 8.”

Quoting a Bombay high court order, on steps to be taken against criminals, Khadki’s senior inspector Laxman Borate said, “The high court has directed police to prepare a list of criminals evading arrest for 10 years and seek directions from the court — like obtaining a non-bailable warrant and proclamation order for attaching property.”

On the difficulties in arresting absconding criminals, senior inspector Vishnu Pawar, the in-charge of Hadapsar police station, said the accused arrested in criminal cases go absconding after they are released on bail. Often their whereabouts are not known. The trial in such cases goes cold.”

Hadapsar police’s assistant inspector Sandip Deshmane added: “It is difficult to arrest criminals in cheating cases because they use fake names and addresses. There is a delay in action because investors have hopes of getting back their money. They approach police when it is already too late.”