New Delhi, Sep 26 — The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested the main accused in a 2020 murder case registered at Jahangir Puri Police Station, who had been absconding for nearly six years and frequently changed his places of stay to evade arrest, officials said on Saturday.
The accused, identified as Md. Sheikh Shabbir, 35, was arrested from Kanjhawala on September 25 under Operation Kavach, launched by the Delhi Police to identify and apprehend hardcore and long-absconding criminals involved in heinous offences.
According to the Crime Branch, the team of Inspector Pankaj Thakran of NR-1 was actively working to trace absconding accused involved in murder and dacoity cases. During the operation, Constable Ankush developed specific information regarding Shabbir’s whereabouts and learnt that he was hiding in Kanjhawala Gaon.
The information was subsequently corroborated through field verification and technical surveillance. A raiding team comprising SI Bhagyashri, ASI Anil, ASI Sumit, ASI Ajay and Constable Ankush, led by Inspector Pankaj Thakran, was constituted under the supervision of ACP Ashok Sharma.
On September 25, the team conducted a coordinated raid in the Kanjhawala area and successfully apprehended Shabbir, who had been evading arrest for approximately six years.
The accused was wanted in connection with the murder of Siraj Ali, 35, who was working at his meat shop at Jhuggi No. G-636 in Jahangir Puri on April 29, 2020.
According to the police, an argument broke out between Siraj Ali and Shah Alam, son of Sheikh Jahoor, over the price of meat. The dispute escalated into a physical assault. Shah Alam, along with his associates Md. Sheikh Shabbir, Siraj, Salim, Jahoor and Shakil, allegedly assaulted Siraj Ali with iron rods and wooden sticks.
The victim sustained serious injuries and subsequently succumbed to them.
Following the incident, FIR No. 231/2020 dated April 29, 2020, was registered at Jahangir Puri Police Station under Sections 302, 323 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
While the other accused persons were arrested during the investigation, Shabbir managed to evade arrest and remained absconding. The police said he frequently changed his places of residence to avoid detection.
Shabbir, a resident of Jahangir Puri, studied up to Class 12 and was working as a scrap dealer in the Kanjhawala area. Police said he had reportedly fallen into bad company during his early teenage years and was also addicted to alcohol.
He was previously involved in two cases registered at Mangol Puri and K.N. Katju Marg police stations under various sections of the IPC.