Delhi Crime Branch nabs two murder accused absconding since 2018 in dowry death case
Synopsis
Eight years on the run ended in a single day for a mother-son duo wanted in a 2018 murder and dowry death case — one of them allegedly faking her own death to mislead investigators. Delhi Crime Branch's simultaneous raids in Haryana and Delhi finally closed the net on two of the case's four accused.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Crime Branch arrested Kanchan and her son Jatin alias Jitin on 15 July 2025 , more than eight years after they fled.
The duo was wanted under FIR No.
43/2018 at Swaroop Nagar Police Station for murder, dowry death, cruelty, and common intention.
The case involves the alleged strangling of a married woman in January 2018 , initially registered as a dowry death.
Kanchan allegedly spread false information about her own death to mislead investigators.
Arrests were made through simultaneous operations in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana , and Okhla, Delhi , based on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs.
The husband and father-in-law of the deceased were arrested earlier during the original investigation.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested two proclaimed offenders — Kanchan and her son Jatin alias Jitin — who had been evading law enforcement for over eight years in connection with a murder, dowry death, and cruelty case registered at Swaroop Nagar Police Station. The arrests, carried out on 15 July 2025, followed simultaneous operations in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, and the Okhla area of Delhi.
Background of the Case
The case stems from the unnatural death of a married woman in January 2018. An FIR — No. 43/2018, registered on 31 January 2018 — was initially filed under Sections 498A and 304B of the Indian Penal Code, covering cruelty and dowry death. During the subsequent investigation, the deceased woman's family alleged she had not died by suicide but had been strangled by members of her matrimonial family, leading to the addition of Section 302 (murder) and Section 34 (common intention) to the charges.
The woman's husband and father-in-law were arrested during the investigation. However, Kanchan, her mother-in-law, and Jatin alias Jitin, her brother-in-law, fled after their anticipatory bail applications were rejected by a competent court, which subsequently declared both proclaimed offenders.
How the Accused Evaded Arrest
According to the Crime Branch, the two accused continuously changed their hideouts over the years to avoid detection. Notably, investigators alleged that Kanchan spread false information about her own death in a deliberate attempt to mislead the investigating agency — a tactic that reportedly prolonged the search for several additional years.
During interrogation, both accused allegedly disclosed that after their anticipatory bail pleas were dismissed, they made a conscious effort to avoid their native residence and kept relocating to stay ahead of law enforcement.
The Intelligence-Led Operation
A dedicated team of WR-II, Crime Branch had been continuously developing intelligence on the whereabouts of the proclaimed offenders. Acting on specific intelligence received on 15 July, corroborated through technical surveillance and local inputs, simultaneous operations were launched at two locations.
Kanchan was apprehended from her hideout in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, while Jatin alias Jitin was intercepted in Okhla, Delhi. Both were formally arrested after identity verification and completion of legal formalities, under the supervision of senior officers.
What the Police Said
The Crime Branch described the arrests as a 'major breakthrough,' stating that 'persistent efforts over several years culminated in the successful apprehension of both accused.' Officials called it a 'significant achievement in securing the presence of accused persons in a grave and sensitive criminal case involving the death of a married woman.'
The operation, police said, 'reaffirms the commitment of Delhi Police to trace and apprehend absconding offenders, irrespective of the time elapsed.'
What Happens Next
With both accused now in custody, the case is expected to move forward in court after years of delays caused by their absence. The arrests bring the number of accused persons apprehended in the case to four, with the husband and father-in-law having been held earlier during the investigation. Legal proceedings under the charges of murder, dowry death, cruelty, and common intention are set to resume.
Point of View
And the years lost to absconding directly delay justice for victims' families. The allegation that an accused faked her own death to evade arrest points to how far some will go when bail is denied and the evidence is grave. Delhi Police deserves credit for the eventual result, but eight years is a long time for a murder case to stall because two accused were at large. The question worth asking is whether existing mechanisms for tracking proclaimed offenders — particularly in cases involving the death of a woman in matrimonial circumstances — are resourced and prioritised adequately from the outset.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were arrested by the Delhi Crime Branch in the 2018 dowry death case?
The Delhi Crime Branch arrested Kanchan, the mother-in-law of the deceased, and her son Jatin alias Jitin, the brother-in-law, both of whom had been declared proclaimed offenders after absconding since 2018. They were apprehended on 15 July 2025 through simultaneous operations in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, and Okhla, Delhi.
What charges are the accused facing?
The accused are wanted under FIR No. 43/2018 registered at Swaroop Nagar Police Station under Sections 302, 304B, 498A, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, covering murder, dowry death, cruelty, and common intention respectively. The charges were escalated from the original dowry death FIR after the deceased's family alleged she had been strangled.
How did the accused evade arrest for over eight years?
According to the Crime Branch, the duo continuously changed hideouts and avoided their native residence. Kanchan allegedly spread false information about her own death to mislead investigators, a tactic that reportedly prolonged the search significantly.
What was the nature of the original case?
The case relates to the unnatural death of a married woman in January 2018. While initially registered as a dowry death and cruelty case, the deceased's family alleged she was strangled by her matrimonial family, leading to the addition of murder charges during investigation.
What happens now that the accused have been arrested?
With all four accused — the husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law — now in custody or previously arrested, the case is expected to proceed in court. Legal proceedings under murder, dowry death, cruelty, and common intention charges are set to resume after years of delays caused by the duo's absconding.
