History-sheeter on the run held from Dehradun

A 41-year-old history sheeter, who had won the panchayat polls in 2016 from Uttar Pradesh, was arrested from Dehradun on February 20. The police seized weapons from him.

Thane crime branch unit 1 police helped Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh police to track the accused, who was wanted in 20 cheating cases registered with the UP and Mumbai police.

He has escaped many times from the police, said the Thane police.

Manoj Sinha Thakur, is from Ajamgarh, and lived in Mumbai for some years.

He was arrested by Mumbai police in economic offence case in September 2019 and was lodged in Arthur Road jail. On February 9, Mumbai police took him to Varanasi for a court hearing. He told the police that he wanted to meet his mother at Azamgarh. When the police took him there, he escaped after meeting his mother.

On February 11, six Mumbai police officers were suspended over the incident. UP police had announced a reward of ₹25,000 for those who give information about him.

He was wanted in UP but he contested for panchayat elections from Martinganj village in Azamgarh district. He won the elections in 2016. He did not turn up for the oath-taking ceremony at first for the fear of getting arrested. He was arrested in 2017 and he resigned from his post.

After a few months, he escaped from Didarganj and was arrested by Mumbai police in 2019.

Senior police inspector from Dehradun, Aishwary Pal, said, “Thane police got a tip-off about the accused and helped us trace him. We learnt that his wife lives in Dehradun and they live separately. He went to Dehradun to meet his son. After tracking him for three days, arrested him. We found a pistol and cartridges in his possession.”

For the past 10 years, there are 20 cases registered against him in various police stations.

He has cheated several people of more than ₹6 lakh on the pretext of giving jobs in railways; he promised people of houses under the chief minister’s relief fund and cheated them of ₹8 crore.