A fugitive criminal who had allegedly killed a teenager for sharing a social media post in 2021 has been apprehended from Uttarakhand's Rudrapur, said Delhi Police on Monday (March 3).

Advertisment

The accused, Bhuvan Joshi, was apprehended after an undercover head-constable posed as a momo seller to confirm his identification. Joshi had been absconding since the murder of the 17-year-old boy in Delhi's Uttam Nagar area.

Also read: Delhi police detain CM Atishi’s office staff with Rs 5 lakh hours ahead of Delhi polls

The incident took place in December 2021, when the victim was abducted and stabbed to death by a group of men after his social media post sparked criticism. A case was registered at Uttam Nagar Police Station on complaint of the sister of the deceased.

Advertisment

During the investigation, all the other accused were arrested but Joshi managed to escape and was declared a proclaimed offender by a court in June 2022.

Also read: Delhi Police issues advisory for New Year’s Eve: What you need to know

To apprehend him, the cops launched an operation. After diligent technical and field work, the team posted in the Southern Range of Crime Branch, Malviya Nagar, located the hideouts of absconding criminal Bhuvan Joshi in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand area.

Advertisment

It was revealed that the accused, Bhuvan Joshi, had changed his name and appearance and was running a food stall in Rudrapur.

In the operation, head constable Sonveer posed as a 'momo seller' to confirm the identity of the accused. He also gathered crucial information about the accused's movements and residence.

After persistent efforts, the accused was successfully identified and apprehended on March 2. During initial questioning, Bhuvan Joshi attempted to mislead the police, but, upon sustained interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the murder case of PS Uttam Nagar. He was immediately arrested under appropriate sections of law and brought back to Delhi.

Also read: Parliament scuffle: Delhi Police Crime Branch takes over case against Rahul Gandhi

DCP Crime Aditya Gautam said, "In an operation against criminals absconding in heinous cases of Delhi, the Southern Range of Crime Branch has successfully traced and arrested a fugitive criminal Bhuvan Joshi @ Bunty @ Bunty Singh (aged 31) from Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, who was wanted in a sensational murder case of PS Uttam Nagar, in which a 17-year-old boy was abducted and killed over uploading stories on Instagram. The accused was also declared Proclaimed Offender by the trial court in the case."

Also read: Delhi Police withdraw prohibitory orders against gatherings, Centre tells Supreme Court

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.