Murder accused held after 17 years on the run

Based on a tip-off, the crime branch police laid a trap and apprehended the accused from Antop Hill on Saturday

Mumbai: A murder accused, who had been on the run for 17 years, was arrested after he allegedly killed a 31-year-old man in 2007 in a drug-related dispute. Based on a tip-off, the crime branch police laid a trap and apprehended the accused from Antop Hill on Saturday.

Murder accused held after 17 years on the run

According to the crime branch police, the accused killed a person named Rajesh Soni Lakhwani by stabbing him multiple times over a dispute related to drug peddling on October 1, 2008, at Dangar Pada in Mulund West. After the incident, a case was registered with the Mulund police under Sections 302 (murder), 34 (common intention), 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code read with sections 37(1)(a) (preventing disorder by prohibiting certain actions) and 135 (penalty for disobeying those prohibitions) of the Maharashtra Police Act.

“There were three people involved in the murder. Two of them, Arun Annappa Kunchikor Kanna and Sunny, were arrested after the incident, while Durgesh, the third accused, had been on the run. A charge sheet was filed against the two arrested accused, declaring Durgesh as wanted,” said a police officer.

The police said they laid a trap and apprehended Durgesh from Rawli Camp, Antop Hill, based on a tip-off on Saturday. After conducting an interrogation and confirming his involvement in the murder, the crime branch unit-4 handed him over to the Mulund police.