New Delhi: A former Indian Navy steward, who had been evading arrest for 19 years after allegedly committing a triple murder and faking his own death, has been apprehended by the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch. The accused, identified as Balesh Kumar, 63, was living under a false identity in the Najafgarh area of the city.
Kumar, who served in the Indian Navy as a Steward from 1981 to 1996, was wanted in connection with a murder case registered in 2004. Police sources revealed that Balesh had allegedly murdered his brother-in-law, Rajesh alias Khushiram, in Delhi’s Samaypur Badli Transport Nagar, along with two laborers in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, to cover his tracks. To evade capture, Kumar reportedly faked his death in Jodhpur in 2004, with his father identifying a charred body as his son’s, even though it was beyond recognition.
The arrest followed a tip-off received by the Crime Branch that the wanted criminal, Balesh Kumar, was residing in Najafgarh under the alias Aman Singh. A team was quickly formed, and a trap was laid, leading to Kumar’s successful apprehension. During the investigation, authorities obtained his pension form details, which indicated that his wife was receiving his pension benefits, suggesting a possible involvement of his family in harboring him.
The genesis of the case dates back to 2004 when Balesh, along with his brother Sunder Lal, allegedly murdered Rajesh due to a monetary dispute and Balesh’s alleged illicit relationship with Rajesh’s wife. While Sunder Lal was apprehended by the police, Balesh managed to escape. He then fled to Rajasthan, where he allegedly killed two employees and set their truck on fire, attempting to stage his own death.
In an attempt to completely disappear from the radar, Balesh procured a forged identity proof in Punjab, adopting the name Aman Singh. He then relocated to Delhi, residing in the Najafgarh area with his family since 2011, and reportedly worked as a property dealer. Despite living a seemingly ordinary life, his past finally caught up with him.
Authorities are now investigating the extent of his family’s involvement in aiding his escape and prolonged evasion of justice. The arrest marks the culmination of a nearly two-decade-long manhunt, bringing an alleged triple murderer to face legal proceedings.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
