Three-Decade-Old Theft Case Finally Closed
In a remarkable demonstration of persistence, the Mumbai Police has successfully arrested a 65-year-old man, Dwijendra Dubey, who was wanted in a theft case that dates back an astonishing 30 years. The arrest was part of two separate operations that also led to the capture of another fugitive, Rajaram Tiwari, who had been evading the law for seven years after a murder in Madhya Pradesh.
The Elusive Fugitive and the 1995 Theft
According to police officials, the case against Dubey was registered at the DB Marg police station in 1995 under Section 381 of the Indian Penal Code. The accusation was that he stole cash from his employer's office on Charni Road while he was working for a private firm in Mumbai. After the theft, he immediately fled to his native place in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh.
During the initial investigation, the police managed to arrest Dubey and recover Rs 20,000 from him. However, he was released on bail within a week and subsequently vanished, failing to report to the police or attend any court hearings. This led the Girgaum court to issue a standing non-bailable warrant against him.
For the next three decades, police teams from DB Marg made numerous trips to his village in Uttar Pradesh. Each time, Dubey seemed to have a network that provided him with prior information about the police's arrival, allowing him to escape just before they reached him.
The Final Chase and Arrest in Mumbai
The breakthrough in this long-standing case came recently. Once again, Dubey received a tip-off about the Mumbai Police's plan to nab him at his native place. Acting on this information, he fled and arrived in Mumbai on October 30.
This time, however, his luck ran out. The investigative team, led by Police Sub-Inspector Azim Shaikh, procured the mobile number of Dubey's son. By contacting several people whom the son had spoken to in the preceding week, the police were able to establish that the accused had come to Mumbai and was staying at a relative's residence in the Ghatkopar area.
Using technical surveillance and intelligence, a police team tracked his movements from Ayodhya to Mumbai via Lucknow. He was finally detained and arrested from the Grand Road area in South Mumbai, bringing a 30-year-long manhunt to a close.
A Second Success: Murder Accused Captured After 7 Years
In a parallel operation showcasing the force's widening net, the Pydhonie police arrested Rajaram Tiwari, a man accused of a murder that took place in 2018 in the Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. After the alleged crime, Tiwari had been hiding in Mumbai for seven years.
The First Information Report (FIR) in his case was registered at the Barhi police station in Katni. The Madhya Pradesh police, upon receiving information that Tiwari was hiding in the Masjid Bunder area of Mumbai, shared the intelligence with their counterparts in the city.
Acting on this specific tip-off, the Pydhonie police located and apprehended Tiwari on a Thursday. During interrogation at the police station, he reportedly confessed to his involvement in the case. Subsequently, the Madhya Pradesh police travelled to Mumbai, and the accused was formally handed over to them.
Conclusion: A Testament to Persistent Policing
These two arrests highlight the relentless efforts of the Mumbai Police in pursuing long-standing warrants and collaborating with police forces from other states. The capture of Dwijendra Dubey proves that the law may sometimes be delayed, but it does not forget, ultimately catching up with those who evade it for decades.
