Absconding for 26 years, trafficker held

New Delhi: A 26-year-long run of a drug trafficker finally came to an end when he was arrested in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh recently. In 1994, he was caught with drugs in the Jama Masjid area and subsequently convicted in the case. He was granted parole in 1998, which he then skipped. Following this, he severed ties with his family members, changed his identity and altered his appearance. During his 26 years on the run, he got married, had two children, and worked as an electrician.
The accused was identified as 50-year-old Ashok Kumar Yadav. Yadav was caught carrying 1.3 kg of charas near Jama Masjid in Delhi in 1994. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. In 1998, he was granted 30 days of parole, but he never surrendered.
Deputy commissioner of police (Central) M Harsha Vardhan said for 26 years, Yadav managed to evade the law by changing his address and identity multiple times. He even started a new life in Bhopal, where he worked as an electrician and got married in 2001. The couple has 19-year-old twin sons.
Recently, Delhi Police conducted multiple raids in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to gather information about the accused from his native place and monitor his activities. A senior police officer said that the accused, a native of Budaun in Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed following an intensive two-week investigation. Call details from over 100 phone numbers belonging to his relatives and friends were analysed.