No phone, no bank account, no address: How ex-Army driver who murdered wife lived like ghost for 20 years

NEW DELHI: A 58-year-old former Army driver, convicted of his wife's murder in Delhi Cantt in 1989, has been arrested from Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh, by Delhi Police's crime branch after being on the run for 20 years.

Anil Kumar Tiwari was serving a life sentence before he jumped parole and vanished without a trace.

"The case dates back to May 1989, when Tiwari was arrested for killing his wife by strangulation and then setting her on fire. Initially, he tried to portray the incident as a suicide, but was exposed during the investigation and later convicted under Section 302 IPC," DCP (crime) Aditya Gautam said.

Following the trial, Tiwari was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life. In Nov 2005, he was granted a two-week interim suspension of sentence by Delhi High Court.

However, Tiwari never returned. For two decades, he lived like a ghost - constantly on the move, avoiding digital footprint, and reinventing his life.

To nab the convict, a special police team from the inter-state cell of crime branch used extensive technical and manual surveillance. Finally, police received information placing Tiwari first in Prayagraj, UP, and later in his native village of Churhat in MP's Sidhi district. Acting swiftly, the team conducted a discreet operation and arrived in Churhat, where Tiwari was arrested on April 12.

During interrogation, Tiwari told police that he chose to live a low-profile life to avoid arrest. After being dismissed from the Army in 2005, he cut all ties to his past. Over the years, he sustained himself through low-paying driving jobs, moving frequently between states to avoid recognition.

Tiwari also avoided using technology or a mobile phone, or maintaining any permanent address, or operating a bank account. He used only cash, carefully avoiding any traceable transactions. While in hiding, he remarried and fathered four children.


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