NEW DELHI: For 20 years, he was a " dead man" but landed in police net following a renewed drive to apprehend proclaimed offenders in the national capital.
Akthar (47), wanted in cases of murder and other heinous cases, was apprehended from south Delhi’s Mehrauli recently when he came there to catch a bus to Pul Prahaladpur where he stays with his family.
"He was living in Delhi as an impostor for the last 20 years. He had spread the rumours of his death so as to avoid the dragnet of law," DCP (South) H G S Dhaliwal said.
When intercepted, Dhaliwal said, he introduced himself as Shadiq Khan and produced his Election Identity Card to convince police. However, the ration card which he was carrying had a different name in father’s column and this led to suspicion.
During interrogation, Dhaliwal claimed, Akhtar told police he was declared Proclaimed Offender in several heinous cases, including murder and kidnapping for ransom, and was living in Pul Prahalad Pur area under an assumed identity to avoid his arrest.
"During the period of his hiding in Delhi, Akhtar managed to prepare several identity documents by impersonating himself as Shadiq Khan. He also purchased a house in Delhi," he said.
In 1993, he allegedly committed a theft in a godown of a transporter in UP’s Bareilly along with his associates. When the guard resisted their attempt, he was killed. In the same year, he and his associates kidnapped a young boy from Aligarh, UP. However, the boy was recovered after 3-4 days and he along with his associates were arrested.
"Akhtar had never gone to school and the company of bad characters brought him in the world of crime. Though he has been living in Delhi, he remained in touch with his associates to get information about cases going on in different courts,"
