In a significant breakthrough, the Navsari Local Crime Branch (LCB) has finally apprehended a 48-year-old fugitive who had been evading the law for a quarter of a century. Shashibhushan Rajput, alias Satbhushan, wanted in multiple cases of loot and robbery, was arrested after a meticulous eight-month operation that spanned several states.
The Dramatic Jailbreak of 2000
The saga began in the year 2000 when Rajput, a native of Devariya district in Uttar Pradesh, was lodged as an undertrial in the Navsari sub-jail. His freedom was short-lived, however. On May 27, 2000, he executed a daring escape. Using a hexo blade, he broke the iron grille of the jail bathroom. He then scaled the main wall and cleverly bypassed the electric fencing with the aid of a mattress and bedsheets.
This audacious escape came at a physical cost. During the jailbreak, Rajput sustained a serious back injury. This left him with a permanent ailment that affected his mobility for the next 25 years, even as he remained on the run.
A Life on the Run and a Nationwide Manhunt
Following his escape, Rajput vanished into the shadows, leading investigators on a wild chase across India. Over the decades, he shifted base between multiple states including Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and finally Haryana. He managed to build a new life, marrying a 22-year-old woman a few years ago and fathering a one-year-old child.
Meanwhile, the police were relentless. LCB inspector VJ Jadeja recounted that Rajput had been originally booked in loot, robbery, and Arms Act cases by police stations in Pardi, Valsad Rural, and Umargam back in 1999. A fresh case was registered with Navsari town police after his escape. The recent hunt was spearheaded by a team including Inspectors RS Gohil and SV Ahir, who dedicated the last eight months to tracking him down.
The Ingenious Sting Operation
The breakthrough came when the LCB team received a critical tip-off: Rajput was living in Palla village in Faridabad, Haryana, and working under the radar as a painter. To confirm his identity and apprehend him without alerting suspicion, the officers devised a clever undercover operation.
They posed as everyday vendors and workers in the area. Some disguised themselves as a cloth vendor, an auto driver, and a fruit seller. This low-profile surveillance and engagement allowed them to positively identify Rajput and finally move in to arrest him, bringing his 25-year fugitive journey to an abrupt end.
Inspector Jadeja added a poignant detail, noting that Rajput's initial arrest in 2000 had disrupted his planned marriage at that time. His recent arrest closes a long and challenging chapter for the Navsari police, demonstrating that the long arm of the law eventually reaches its target.
