Crime Branch arrests murder accused who evaded arrest for 28 years after escaping police custody

The accused, identified as Rajinder Bairagi alias Rajinder Singh Yadav alias "Dr Jhatka", was arrested by the Northern Range-1 (NR-1) team of the Crime Branch from Mungaoli in Madhya Pradesh's Ashok Nagar district following a multi-state operation, police said.

According to Delhi Police, Rajinder was wanted in connection with the 1998 murder of Haryana Police personnel Jai Bhagwan during a firing incident at a wedding in Sonipat. He was also facing multiple attempt-to-murder cases registered in Delhi and Haryana.

Police said Rajinder escaped from Uttar Pradesh Police custody in February 1999 at Gannaur Railway Station while being escorted from Ghaziabad Jail to Sonipat Court. He had remained on the run.

The Crime Branch said it used field intelligence and technical surveillance during the investigation to establish his identity and trace his location. Based on the inputs, a raid was conducted in Mungaoli, where he was apprehended.

During interrogation, Rajinder allegedly disclosed that after escaping from custody, he initially stayed in Maharashtra, where he worked as a physical education teacher at a Kendriya Vidyalaya. He later settled permanently in Madhya Pradesh, assumed the identity of Rajender Singh Yadav, and worked as a property dealer and an unregistered medical practitioner locally known as "Dr Jhatka."

Police said he also obtained local identity documents, including an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID and driving licence.

According to Delhi Police, Rajinder had been declared a proclaimed offender in multiple cases, including two attempt-to-murder cases registered at Janakpuri Police Station in Delhi and the murder case registered at Gannaur Police Station in Haryana.

Further interrogation is underway to ascertain his involvement in other criminal cases. (ANI)