A former Navy steward, who faked his death for 20 years after allegedly killing three people, has been arrested from Najafgarh in south west Delhi, police said on Tuesday.
According to police, Balesh Kumar (63) escaped the police net after killing a relative and two labourers in 2004.
A native of Panipat in Haryana, he joined the Indian Navy in 1981 as a steward where he served till 1996.
Kumar was arrested from Najafgarh where he lived with his family under a different name and was working as a property dealer, they said.
“In 2004, the accused along with his brother Sunder Lal allegedly killed his brother-in-law Rajesh alias Khushiram following a monetary dispute and Kumar’s illicit relations with the deceased’s wife. While Lal was arrested, Kumar managed to escape,” a senior police official said.
Kumar escaped to Rajasthan in a truck as he was into transport business and killed two of his employees, setting them on fire along with the truck, he said.
The Rajasthan Police found two bodies and identified one of them as that of Kumar as claimed by his family.
The accused managed to reach Punjab and procured a forged identity proof, changing his name to Aman Singh.
The police said a report in this regard was sent to SHO, Dandiyawar Police Station, requesting to re-open the matter and proceed with further legal action.
During interrogation, Kumar disclosed the names of two labourers whom he killed in Rajasthan. It was further revealed that he transferred the insurance claim benefits and pension from the Navy to his wife. The involvement of his wife and other family members is also being probed in the matter, police added.