A 53-year-old man who allegedly lived under a false identity as a neighbourhood doctor in Madhya Pradesh for nearly three decades has been arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. The accused, locally known as “Dr Jhatka”, was arrested on Tuesday from Ashok Nagar district, ending a 27-year-long manhunt in connection with a 1998 murder case in Haryana’s Sonipat.
The case dates back to May 10, 1998, when the accused allegedly attended a wedding in Saiyan Khera village in Sonipat. According to police, an argument broke out between him and members of the bride’s family. The accused and five armed associates allegedly opened indiscriminate fire, killing the bride’s uncle and a police official. Another person was also injured in the firing.
The accused was arrested after the incident but allegedly escaped from police custody in 1999. He subsequently travelled to Colaba in Maharashtra, where he reportedly worked as a physical education teacher for about a year before moving to Ashok Nagar in Madhya Pradesh.
After relocating to Madhya Pradesh, he allegedly assumed the identity of a doctor despite having no recognised medical qualification or registration. He opened a private clinic and reportedly gained the trust of local residents while practising medicine under the false identity.
In 2003, he married a woman who currently works as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) at a government hospital in Mungaoli. The couple has two children. Apart from running the clinic, the accused also reportedly worked as a property dealer and contractor.
During interrogation, the accused reportedly told police that he had previously been a kabaddi player and claimed that his association with criminals developed through the sport.
Delhi Police said the case was reopened as part of efforts to trace the long-pending fugitive. Investigators reportedly confirmed his identity, tracked his daily routine and located him in Madhya Pradesh before conducting a raid and arresting him.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Chander Kumar Singh said investigators confirmed the accused’s identity and location before conducting the operation that led to his arrest.
The arrest has also highlighted allegations of prolonged unauthorised medical practice, as the accused reportedly operated a private clinic for years without recognised medical qualifications or registration.
