UK's 'most wanted' fugitive arrested in Goa

The Goa police in Panaji has arrested one of Britain's most wanted fugitives after his British friend was found dead in a hotel room. Ajay Kaushal, 50, has been on the run since 2005 when he was due to be tried for kidnapping a businessman and securing a 100,000-pound ransom, Sky News reports.

At that time, he was convicted and sentenced to 15-years in jail. Goa authorities said that Kaushal was arrested by chance in Panaji after his British friend, William Scott Youdale, 39, was found dead in his hotel room in the nearby village of Colva.

Youdale's body has been sent for a post-mortem examination and the police said they could not comment on whether a drug overdose was responsible for his death. Police investigated the death and uncovered Kaushal's identity and previous conviction.

"We found Kaushal's identification documents with him, which helped us confirm his identity and corroborate it with Lancashire police. Kaushal would be handed over to British police," Deputy police superintendent Umesh Gaonkar was quoted, as saying.

A Lancashire Police spokeswoman said, "We are aware of the arrest and are liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service with a view to bringing him back to the UK, where he will be sent to jail."

Kaushal has been described by Detective Inspector Simon Brooksbank of Lancashire Police, as showing an 'absolute disrespect for the law by refusing to be brought to justice and continuing to live his life as a free man.'