The Delhi Police Special Cell has apprehended two individuals accused in a murder case dating back to 2016, under the jurisdiction of the Ranhola police station. Identified as Kabir Nat alias Shakil Khalifa and Bablu Nat, the two accused had been declared Proclaimed Offenders by the court in 2018 and had successfully evaded arrest for eight years.
The SWR Special Cell, a division of the Delhi Police responsible for gathering intelligence to monitor anti-terrorist activities, surveil hideouts, and apprehend terrorists, militants, and smugglers, facilitated the arrest.
Providing insights into the 2016 incident, the police reported that on July 3, 2016, they received information at the Ranhola Police Station, Outer District, regarding a body discovered in Som Bazar Gomti Garden. “Following initial investigation, the deceased was identified as Bandhu Rai, originally from District Samastipur, Bihar, who was employed as a contractor in Delhi,” stated the police.
According to family members’ statements, three individuals—Bablu Nat, Kabir Nat, and Mohd Aslam—from the same village as the deceased, had solicited Bandhu Rai’s assistance for labor work in Delhi. Bandhu Rai invited all three to Delhi and provided accommodation at his residence, as his family had returned to their village in Bihar.
“On the intervening night of July 2-3, 2016, all three accused consumed alcohol together. An altercation arose, during which the trio devised a plan to kill Bandhu Rai and rob him of his money,” explained the police. While two of the arrested accused restrained Bandhu Rai’s limbs, the third, Mohammad Aslam, strangled him and looted money from his pocket before fleeing.
After Bandhu Rai’s demise, all three accused individuals went into hiding. The post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as asphyxia due to manual strangulation. Consequently, a murder case was registered under sections 302/174A/34 of the IPC at Ranhola police station.
The accused—Kabir Nat (25), Bablu Nat (27), and Mohd Aslam—had been fugitives since 2016. On March 22 of this year, Inspector Sandeep Dabas’s team received specific information that two individuals involved in the murder case would be near Najafgarh Anaj Mandi. Acting on the tip-off, a team was dispatched to Najafgarh, and a trap was laid resulting in the apprehension of both accused near Najafgarh Anaj Mandi.
Subsequently, the police detained the two accused, Kabir and Bablu, who confessed to the entire incident. An ongoing investigation is underway, with efforts to locate and apprehend the third accused, Mohammad Aslam.
