A Delhi man convicted of murdering a rickshaw puller in 1998 has been arrested after fleeing his sentence, highlighting the Delhi Police's commitment to justice.
A 52-year-old man convicted of killing a rickshaw puller in 1998, after the latter refused to take him home, was arrested by the Delhi Police for failing to surrender after the Delhi High Court dismissed his appeal in 2025, an official said on Thursday.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Nawab, a resident of Ranjeet Nagar, had been sentenced to life imprisonment in the case registered at the Daryaganj police station. He was out on bail since 2004 pending appeal but did not surrender after the high court upheld his conviction and was subsequently declared a parole jumper, he said.
The incident occurred on the intervening night of November 29 and 30, 1998 near Delhi Gate, when Nawab allegedly assaulted a rickshaw puller, Giani, in a fit of rage after the latter refused to ferry him.
He allegedly threw the victim to the ground and repeatedly struck him on the head with a stone. The injured man was rushed to LNJP Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
An FIR was registered and Nawab was arrested at the spot. Following investigation and trial, he was convicted under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Police said sustained fieldwork and technical surveillance led to inputs about Nawab's presence in the Kasabpura area of Old Delhi. He was eventually tracked to Ranjeet Nagar and apprehended while he was on his way to meet family members. He has since been lodged in Tihar Jail.
Nawab had been living in hiding in Old Delhi and was running a rented butcher shop after his appeal was dismissed. He had earlier studied up to Class 8 and worked at his father's chicken shop near Jama Masjid.
Police records show that he was also involved in three cases under the Arms Act and had been convicted in those cases as well. Further proceedings are underway, the police added.