New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested a criminal who had been on the run for 16 years in a 2002 murder-cum-dacoity case, an official said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Mukesh, was declared a proclaimed offender and was wanted in 19 heinous criminal cases, he said.

Mukesh, a resident of Mangolpuri, was arrested on Thursday from Rohini.

According to police, Mukesh had been on the run since 2009 during the trial proceedings of a case dating back to February 28, 2002.

On that day, Mukesh and his accomplices — including Sanjeev Verma, Rakesh and Vijay — intercepted a businessman Mohan Lal Bansal’s car in Karol Bagh after he had withdrawn Rs 25 lakhs from a bank.

The gang shot Bansal dead, looted the cash and fled with his vehicle, police said.

A few days after the murder, they were involved in a police encounter in Uttam Nagar. Verma was shot dead in the exchange, while the others, including Mukesh, were arrested.

During the trial, Mukesh absconded and was declared a proclaimed offender. His co-accused, Rakesh and Vijay, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Meanwhile, Mukesh continued his criminal activities under false identities, managing to evade law enforcement despite being arrested in other cases.

Police said that Mukesh has been involved in 19 serious criminal cases including murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, armed robbery and offences under the Arms Act. His first murder was in 1992, following a clash between rival groups. Over time, he joined hands with Sanjeev Verma’s gang. PTI BM HIG