After 27 years on the run in 1998 murder case, fake doctor arrested in MP

New Delhi: A man who reportedly spent nearly three decades living under a false identity as a neighbourhood doctor in Madhya Pradesh has been arrested, bringing an end to a 27-year-long manhunt in connection with a 1998 murder case.

According to reports, the 53-year-old accused, locally known as "Dr Jhatka", was arrested on Tuesday from Madhya Pradesh's Ashok Nagar district by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. He was wanted in connection with the murder of a police official in Haryana's Sonipat district in 1998.

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The case dates back to May 10, 1998, when the accused allegedly attended a wedding in Saiyan Khera village in Sonipat. Police said an argument broke out between him and members of the bride's family, following which he and five armed associates allegedly opened indiscriminate fire. The shooting claimed the lives of the bride's uncle and a police official, while another person sustained injuries, reports The Daily.

The accused was arrested after the incident but escaped from police custody in 1999. According to police, he first travelled to Colaba in Maharashtra, where he spent about a year working as a physical education teacher before moving to Ashok Nagar in Madhya Pradesh and assuming the identity of a doctor.

In 2003, he married a woman who currently serves as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) at a government hospital in Mungaoli. The couple has two children. Despite having no recognised medical qualification or registration, the accused opened a private clinic and earned the trust of local residents. Besides running the clinic, he also worked as a property dealer and contractor.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly told police that he had once been a kabaddi player and claimed that his association with criminals developed through the sport.

His run ended after Delhi Police reopened the trial. “During investigation, police confirmed his identity, mapped his daily routine, and pinpointed his exact location. Later, a raid was conducted, and the accused was apprehended in Madhya Pradesh,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Chander Kumar Singh said, reports TNIE.

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