New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) : Delhi Police Crime Branch’s Inter-State Cell (ISC) has apprehended life convict Sadhana alias Pooja, who had been absconding for more than 20 years after jumping parole.
Sadhana was arrested from Haridwar on September 27, after changing her identity and living under an assumed name.
Convicted in a case related to FIR No. 06/1990 at Adarsh Nagar Police Station for the kidnapping and murder of a 10-year-old child, she was sentenced to life imprisonment, with the conviction upheld by the appellate court.
According to the Crime Branch, the child went missing from Azadpur T-Point on January 6, 1990. Witnesses Jagdish Chand and Vasdev reportedly saw Sadhana holding the child’s hand while crossing G.T. Road at around 5.30 p.m.
Sadhana and co-accused Raj Kumar were subsequently apprehended from Jahangir Puri. The two were living together as husband and wife without being legally married. The relationship was opposed by Balwant Ram, the deceased child’s father, and his family.
Investigators found that an earlier dispute had led to resentment and a decision to take revenge, resulting in the kidnapping and murder of the child.
During the trial, Sadhana was found to be the last person seen with the deceased. She was also found to have concealed Raj Kumar’s presence at her house and played an active role in the conspiracy. She was subsequently convicted under Sections 364, 302 and 120-B of the IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Sadhana had been lodged in Central Jail since January 9, 1990. She was released on parole on December 27, 2005, which was later extended by three weeks on medical grounds. However, she failed to surrender on January 18, 2006, and remained absconding thereafter.
The Crime Branch said sustained efforts were made to trace her through human intelligence, old associates, and family links. A specific lead regarding her presence in Haridwar under an assumed identity was discreetly verified, confirming her whereabouts.
A team comprising SI Amit Kumar, ASI Suresh Gupta, Head Constables Brijesh Kumar and Dinesh Kumar, Woman Head Constable Manisha and woman constable Heera, under the supervision of Inspector Pankaj Malik and overall supervision of ACP Ramesh Chander Lamba, proceeded to Haridwar. Following ground verification and discreet surveillance, the team confirmed her identity and apprehended her on September 27.
After jumping parole, Sadhana changed her name to Pooja. She initially stayed with Raj Kumar and later worked at a private company in Noida, where she met Keshav, a carpenter. She subsequently moved to Delhi’s Mukundpur, where she stayed with him for around five years before shifting to Haridwar. She later married Keshav in a temple and used his name as her husband in documents to conceal her identity.
