CHENNAI: The long arm of the law caught up with a murder accused after three decades as Avadi City Police arrested a man in connection with a 1991 murder. The man who fled to Mumbai after murdering his brother-in-law, a central government employee, spent a decade there doing menial jobs before shifting back to Tamil Nadu, police said.
The arrested person was identified as Bala alias Balaji. According to the Avadi City Police, he along with his elder sister, Madumathi were named as accused in connection with the murder of Madumathi's husband, Ranjith Singh Rana, on February 16, 1991. Ranjith was employed as a chargeman at the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi and lived with his wife at HVF quarters.
Tank Factory Police, who had registered a case of murder, arrested Madumathi, but her brother Balaji escaped arrest. Police sources said efforts were made over the years to secure Balaji, but police teams could not find him.
During a recent audit of pending arrests, the top brass of Avadi City Police directed the Tank Factory police to secure the suspect in the 1991 murder case after which a special team headed by Avadi Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) was formed.
A team comprising Inspector C Dhanammal secured the accused, Balaji from Virudhunagar district, where he was living with his family.
"We conducted investigations with some of his family members in Tiruchy, where his family hails from and got his phone number, through which we zeroed in on his location," a police officer said, adding, "The family he married into were not aware of his past"
He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.