Gujarat Police Arrests Murder Accused After 24 Years on the Run

Ahmedabad, September 20 (Udaipur Kiran) : The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has apprehended a 54-year-old man, Dinesh Desai, who had been on the run for 24 years in connection with a murder case registered in Rajasthan in 2002. He was arrested in the Vejalpur area, where he had been living under a false identity and frequently changing residences over the years. Desai is wanted for the murder of Dalaram Nai, which took place in the village of Dungli, under the jurisdiction of the Sadri police station in Pali district, Rajasthan.Following the murder, Desai returned to his ancestral village in Banaskantha district but fled to Ahmedabad after police arrived at his home. The police revealed that the murder was planned due to a dispute over ancestral property and business between two relatives. Desai and three accomplices allegedly traveled from Ahmedabad to Pali in a four-wheeler and intentionally collided with the motorcycle on which Dalaram Nai was riding. This incident occurred near Bera Tilawani in Sharad Dungli.While the victim died in the collision, Desai abandoned the vehicle at the scene, attempting to make the death appear accidental. A murder case was subsequently registered based on police investigations and earlier complaints. According to Inspector A.P. Jebaliya of the Crime Branch, their unit has been actively searching for wanted individuals in long-pending cases both within Gujarat and beyond. During this investigation, PSI A.B. Desai received information linking Desai to the 2002 murder case, revealing that he had been residing in Ahmedabad's Vejalpur area.Initially, Desai concealed his identity and worked as a laborer in various locations before settling in Vejalpur, where he lived with his family in Sagar Samrat Apartment after residing in several different houses. The police utilized informants and technical investigations to gather information about Desai, confirm his identity, and locate his current residence. In addition to Desai, three other suspects have also been arrested, one of whom, Ramesh Nai, is said to be a relative involved in the property dispute that led to the murder.The Crime Branch indicated that further investigations will focus on the locations where Desai lived during his 24 years of evasion and whether anyone assisted him in concealing his identity. Jebaliya confirmed that they will hand over Desai to the Rajasthan police for further legal proceedings.