The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been searching for Indian fugitive Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, who is the most wanted person in both the US and India.
Patel, a 32-year-old Gujarati native, is wanted in Maryland for the April 2015 murder of his wife. His name has now been added to the FBI's list of the ten most wanted fugitives. The federal agency on Friday announced a reward of up to $250,000 for any information leading to the capture of Bhadreshkumar Patel.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the federal agency wrote: “The FBI offers a reward of up to $250,000 for info leading to the arrest of Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, wanted for allegedly killing his wife while they were working at a donut shop in Hanover, Maryland, on April 12, 2015."
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Who is Bhadreshkumar Patel and what charges is he facing?
In 2015, Bhadreshkumar Patel killed his spouse Palak while they were employed at a Dunkin' Donuts in Hanover, Maryland. He allegedly stabbed his wife multiple times with a kitchen knife in the shop’s backroom, inflicting several wounds.
{{/usCountry}}In 2015, Bhadreshkumar Patel killed his spouse Palak while they were employed at a Dunkin' Donuts in Hanover, Maryland. He allegedly stabbed his wife multiple times with a kitchen knife in the shop’s backroom, inflicting several wounds.
{{/usCountry}}The gruesome incident, which occurred during the night shift in front of customers, was caught on camera. In the video, Bhadreshkumar, then 24, and his wife, then 21, were seen making their way to the kitchen before he vanished from sight.
Customers alerted the police when they did not see any employees in the shop, and they later learned that Palak had been murdered.
He is currently facing many serious offenses, including first- and second-degree murder and assault, as well as possession of a dangerous weapon with an intention to injure another person.
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What was the issue between Bhadreshkumar Patel his wife Palak?
Palak intended to return to India because the couple's visas were due to expire a month prior to her murder. According to local media reports, Palak was against relocating to the US, while Bhadreshkumar intended to stay. This led to several arguments between the couple.
In April 2015, the US District Court in Baltimore issued a warrant for Patel's arrest after he evaded prosecution.
Patel,who was last seen traveling from a hotel in New Jersey to the Newark train station by cab, "should be considered armed and extremely dangerous," the FBI said in its statement.
According to FBI Special Agent Gordon B. Johnson, Bhadreshkumar Patel earned a place on the FBI's Top Ten List because he committed extremely violent crimes.
"The ongoing efforts of our investigators, coupled with the public's assistance, will lead to the capture of Bhadreshkumar Patel. We will never forget, and will not rest until he is located, captured and brought to justice,” the official said.