Maharashtra Police Capture Fugitive After 21 Years for Alleged Murder
Arrest of Long-Term Fugitive
The Maharashtra police have apprehended a 41-year-old man who had been evading capture for 21 years after allegedly murdering his friend in Palghar district. The suspect, Rajesh Suresh Sonkar, was arrested by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar police on Thursday in a village located in Prayagraj district. Authorities revealed that a new investigation into the long-standing murder case led to a significant breakthrough that had remained unresolved for years. Investigators utilized a tip-off along with cyber forensics and technical analysis to track Sonkar's location.
Details of the Case
According to Madan Ballal, Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Crime Branch, Sonkar had concealed his true identity and was working as an e-rickshaw driver in Uttar Pradesh. The incident dates back to December 27, 2005, when the body of 30-year-old Dilip Tukaram Chavan was discovered near a creek in Bhati Bandar village, Palghar. Chavan died from severe head injuries, prompting the registration of a case under IPC sections 302 and 201 at the Virar police station. However, the investigation stalled due to a lack of leads at that time. The breakthrough came when the Maharashtra police ordered a parallel investigation into unresolved murder cases in the Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar commissionerate areas. The Crime Branch revisited the case files, re-examined evidence from the crime scene, and re-interviewed witnesses from 2005.
Confession and Motive
During questioning, Sonkar confessed to his crime, revealing that he and Chavan were friends who worked together as hotel cleaners. According to police reports, Sonkar claimed that a friend of Chavan had raped his wife, and he suspected Chavan had actively assisted the perpetrator. In a fit of rage, he allegedly killed Chavan and disposed of the body to eliminate evidence. Following the murder, Sonkar fled Maharashtra, reportedly spending the first six years in hiding in Lucknow before moving to Prayagraj, where he concealed his identity for the next 15 years. Authorities stated that with Sonkar's arrest, they have successfully resolved the murder case that had been pending for over two decades.