Delhi Police Arrests Ex-Navy Employee 'Dead' For 20 Years For Triple Murder

According to police, Balesh was 40 when he allegedly killed his brother-in-law, Rajesh alias Khushiram, over money in Delhi's Bawana area in 2004.

Delhi Police Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested a 60-year-old ex-Navy employee who faked his death for 20 years

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Delhi Police Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested a 60-year-old ex-Navy employee, who faked his death for 20 years, for allegedly killing a relative and burning to death two labourers.

Identified as Balesh Kumar, the accused was arrested from a house in Najafgarh where he was staying with his family after having changed his name to Aman Singh, reported news agency PTI.

According to police, Balesh was 40 when he allegedly killed his brother-in-law, Rajesh alias Khushiram, over money in Delhi's Bawana area in 2004. He also allegedly had an illicit relationship with Rajesh's wife.

In 2004, police arrested Balesh's brother Sundar Lal, who was also involved in Rajesh's murder, however, Balesh managed to give them a slip, reported PTI.

Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said that Balesh, who was in a transport business then, escaped in a truck to Rajasthan. There he set his truck on fire and burned two of his workers to death.

"Rajasthan Police during the course of investigation identified one of the persons as Balesh, while the other body remained unclaimed. The family members of Balesh also identified one of the bodies as his," Yadav said.

Rajasthan Police closed the case assuming the prime suspect was dead, according to PTI.

However, Balesh, after faking his death, fled to Punjab and managed to procure forged identity proof with the help of his family members and changed his name to Aman Singh.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ankit Kumar said, "He remained in touch with his wife and managed to transfer his insurance claim benefits and pension from the Indian Navy to her. Also, the truck involved in the incident was registered in the name of his brother Mahinder Singh, who allowed him to claim the insurance. He got insurance claim for the truck into the account of his wife," 

Balesh then moved to Delhi's Najafgarh with his family and started living with them.

"On a secret tip-off, we managed to nab him from his house on Monday. During the interrogation, he confessed his involvement in the murder of his relative and two labourers from Bihar," Kumar said.

At the time of his arrest, Balesh was working as a property dealer in Najafgarh.

The Delhi Police has informed the Rajasthan's Jodhpur Police about Balesh's arrest and asked them to reopen the burnt truck case.

Police are probing the role of Balesh's wife and other family members in his crimes and they all will be prosecuted accordingly, Kumar said.