Delhi: Man held in 2010 beheading case after jumping bail for four years

Police said the accused, Manoj Sukda, and three associates killed a man in December 2010 to avenge the arrest of one of their accomplices

The Delhi Police crime branch on Monday arrested a 42-year-old man from Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the 2010 murder of a man whose decapitated body was found near GT Karnal Road in outer Delhi.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Harsh Indora said the beheaded body was recovered on December 13, 2010. (Representational image)

Police said the accused, Manoj Sukda, had been absconding for four years after securing interim bail in August 2021. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the court in September 2024.

According to police, Sukda and three associates allegedly killed a man named Vishal in December 2010 to avenge the arrest of one of their accomplices, Pappu, in a 2003 robbery case. Vishal had reportedly provided information that led to Pappu’s conviction and a seven-year prison sentence.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Harsh Indora said the beheaded body was recovered on December 13, 2010, near a CNG station on the service lane of GT Karnal Road in the Samaipur area. “The victim was beheaded with a sharp weapon, seemingly to conceal his identity. It was a blind murder case -- in which police have no leads on the killer or the victim -- at the time,” Indora said, adding that a case of murder, destruction of evidence, and criminal conspiracy was registered at Samaipur Badli police station.

The victim was later identified as Vishal. Two of the accused — Sukda and Sanjay — were arrested in 2018, nearly eight years after the FIR was registered. Sukda was released on interim bail in August 2021 and went underground.

He had been evading trial for the past four years in the case. As a result, the court concerned had declared him a proclaimed offender (PO) in September 2024, said the DCP.

Last week, the crime branch received information about his presence in Shamli. A raid was conducted and Sukda was arrested on Saturday. He was brought back to Delhi and interrogated.

“Sukda disclosed that his co-accused, Pappu, was arrested in a robbery case in 2003 based on information shared by Vishal. Pappu was convicted in that case and he served seven years in jail. After completing his sentence, Pappu came out and planned his revenge. He conspired with Sukda, Sanjay and Uday to kill Vishal. The four of them beheaded him and dumped the body near the CNG station,” said a crime branch officer, who asked not to be named.

Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the remaining accused.