Who Was Arrested After 48 Years for an Attempted Murder in 1977?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Chandrashekhar Kalekar was arrested after 48 years for an attempted murder case.
- The crime occurred in 1977 when Kalekar attacked his girlfriend.
- He had been living under the radar since being released on bail.
- The police reopened the case six months ago, leading to his arrest.
- Kalekar is now in judicial custody.
New Delhi, Oct 15 (NationPress) In a remarkable breakthrough, Mumbai's Colaba Police have apprehended a man who had been eluding law enforcement for a stunning 48 years, linked to an attempted murder case from 1977.
The suspect, identified as Chandrashekhar Madhukar Kalekar, aged 71, was taken into custody from a residence in Dapoli, located in the Ratnagiri district. At the time of the alleged offense, he was only 23 years old.
According to police reports, Kalekar had assaulted his girlfriend with a knife in Colaba after suspecting her of infidelity. Although he was arrested initially and released on bail, he failed to show up for subsequent court appearances.
“Once he was granted bail, he ceased attending court. Over the years, multiple warrants were issued against him, and he was ultimately declared a proclaimed offender,” explained a senior Colaba Police officer. “Our search for him spanned decades.”
The investigation hit a dead end when Kalekar, who had been residing in Haji Kasam Chawl in Lalbaug, moved after the chawl was redeveloped. Six months ago, Colaba Police revisited the case and initiated a new search. They went to his last known address, only to find a newly developed building instead of the original chawl. They explored various locations in Mumbai, scrutinized voter lists, and combed through public records, but his name was absent.
“We could not locate him through electoral records. Thus, we began examining court documents and transport department databases. That’s when we discovered a 2015 criminal case against him at Dapoli Police Station for a road rage incident,” the officer stated.
Uncertain if Kalekar still lived at the address linked to the Dapoli case, a police team visited the site late Monday night, only to find him present. “He was taken aback to see the police after 48 years. He had nearly forgotten about the case,” noted the officer.
At the time of the alleged crime, Kalekar was a young man of 23. Now, at 71, his appearance has changed dramatically.
“Identifying him based on decades-old photographs was challenging. However, when interrogated, he admitted to the crime,” the police reported.
Kalekar was brought before the court and has been placed in judicial custody.