Delhi Police arrest 72-year-old proclaimed offender after 15 years on the run
Synopsis
A 72-year-old XLRI graduate who allegedly tried to extort a multinational garment company in 2008 spent nearly 15 years evading Delhi Police — shifting from Gujarat to Rajasthan and repeatedly changing addresses. A month-long Special Cell operation finally caught up with him inside a Jaipur residential society on 22 August.
Key Takeaways
Hari Singh Shekhawat , 72 , was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell on 22 August after nearly 15 years as a proclaimed offender.
He was declared a Proclaimed Offender on 2 April 2016 after repeatedly failing to appear in court.
The extortion case dates to 2008 , when he allegedly attempted to extort money from a multinational garment firm where he was employed.
Shekhawat had moved across Gujarat and Rajasthan to evade arrest; he was finally traced to a residential society in Jaipur .
The operation was led by Inspector Sandeep Yadav and Inspector Neeraj Kumar under ACP Puran Chandra Pant after more than a month of surveillance.
Shekhawat is reportedly an XLRI graduate who held senior positions at multiple multinational corporations.
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Saturday, 22 August arrested Hari Singh Shekhawat, a 72-year-old proclaimed offender from Jaipur, Rajasthan, ending a nearly 15-year evasion linked to an extortion case involving a multinational garment company. The arrest followed a month-long inter-state operation spanning Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
Background of the Case
The case originates from 2008, when Shekhawat allegedly attempted to extort money from a prominent multinational garment firm while employed there. A case was registered against him at the Special Cell police station under Sections 384, 389, 506, and 511 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). After repeatedly failing to appear before the court, he was declared a Proclaimed Offender on 2 April 2016.
How the Fugitive Was Tracked
A dedicated team from the South-Western Range (SWR) of the Special Cell was constituted to pursue long-evading offenders. The team, led by Inspector Sandeep Yadav and Inspector Neeraj Kumar under the supervision of ACP Puran Chandra Pant, deployed extensive human surveillance across multiple states over more than a month.
According to officials, Shekhawat had initially relocated to Gujarat to evade the legal proceedings before subsequently shifting to Rajasthan, where he remained under the radar for several years. On 13 August, the team received credible information that he was hiding inside a residential society in Jaipur.
The Arrest Operation
Following the tip-off, a dedicated raiding team was immediately dispatched to Jaipur. After verifying Shekhawat's presence and confirming his identity, officers apprehended him from the residential premises. Officials described the arrest as the result of 'sustained surveillance, intelligence gathering and coordinated efforts across multiple states.'
Profile of the Accused
Shekhawat is reportedly a graduate of XLRI — one of India's premier business schools — and had worked with several multinational corporations in senior positions over the course of his professional career. He was allegedly employed at the garment multinational in question when the extortion attempt occurred in 2008. This is the first known arrest in the case in nearly 15 years.
The arrest underscores the Delhi Police Special Cell's renewed push to pursue long-pending proclaimed offenders, with the SWR team specifically constituted to prevent such fugitives from committing further crimes.
Point of View
Mobile, and resourceful — are among the hardest to track precisely because they can blend into legitimate society across state lines. A 15-year evasion by a senior corporate professional points to gaps in inter-state fugitive coordination that go beyond this single case. The Special Cell's renewed SWR mandate to pursue long-pending absconders is a step in the right direction, but the real question is how many similar cases remain open on the court's proclaimed-offender list — and whether resources match the scale of the problem.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hari Singh Shekhawat and why was he arrested?
Hari Singh Shekhawat is a 72-year-old resident of Jaipur, Rajasthan, arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell on 22 August for allegedly attempting to extort money from a multinational garment company in 2008. He had been a court-declared proclaimed offender since 2 April 2016 after repeatedly failing to appear before the court.
How long was Hari Singh Shekhawat on the run?
Shekhawat evaded arrest for nearly 15 years. He was declared a proclaimed offender in 2016, but the original case was registered in 2008, meaning he had been avoiding legal proceedings for the better part of two decades.
How did the Delhi Police Special Cell track him down?
A team from the South-Western Range of the Special Cell conducted over a month of sustained surveillance, human intelligence gathering, and inter-state coordination across Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. On 13 August, credible information placed him in a residential society in Jaipur, where he was apprehended.
What charges does Shekhawat face?
He faces charges under Sections 384, 389, 506, and 511 of the Indian Penal Code, related to extortion, criminal intimidation, and attempt to commit extortion, stemming from the 2008 incident at a multinational garment firm.
What is the significance of this arrest for Delhi Police?
The arrest is part of a broader Special Cell push to pursue long-pending proclaimed offenders. A dedicated SWR team was specifically constituted to track such fugitives, and this case demonstrates the unit's capacity for sustained inter-state operations lasting over a month.
