NEW DELHI: The Interstate Cell of the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a fugitive wanted for the gruesome murder of his wife in 2016 over frequent quarrels.
The accused has been identified as Sunil Kumar alias Shailender Kumar Raut, a resident of Shahjahanpur, Bihar.
According to the police, the arrest, made after a lengthy nine-year manhunt, took place in the Sheikhupur area of Bihar.
Kumar had been absconding since committing the murder in Delhi’s Ranhola area, where his wife’s body was found in a plastic sack inside a rented accommodation.
The victim, with her throat slit, was discovered on October 18, 2016, by her landlord, who detected a foul odor coming from the locked room.
Upon discovering the body, the landlord alerted authorities, prompting the registration of a murder case at the Ranhola PS. Investigations quickly pointed to Kumar as the prime suspect. However, the accused managed to evade capture, taking his four-year-old daughter with him and fleeing the scene.
A cash reward of Rs 25,000 was subsequently announced for information leading to his arrest. In addition, the court declared him a Proclaimed Offender, further intensifying the search for Kumar.
Following the murder, a dedicated team led by Inspectors Satender Mohan and Pawan Kumar, under the supervision of ACP Ramesh Chander Lamba, was tasked with re-investigating the case. The team meticulously examined the crime scene, questioned witnesses, and conducted extensive inquiries, eventually tracing Kumar to Shekhupur, Bihar, after six months of relentless efforts.
Upon arrest, Kumar confessed, stating that his marriage had soured due to frequent arguments. In frustration, he killed his wife and fled with their daughter.