Constable ‘Vilas Computer’s’ hat-trick catch was absconding for 38 years

Nagpur: Head constable Vilas Chobitkar of Ganeshpeth police station, fondly called ‘Vilas Computer by colleagues for razor-sharp memory, has set a benchmark by working beyond his routine task and spearheading operations to nab absconders evading arrests for many years. He has nabbed three such absconders, including a man wanted for 38 years in a case of burglary, within seven days.
Chobitkar, who works as duty writer to distribute manpower for different assignments, has developed a knack to track down absconders following a unique plan-of-action based on searching identities in different government and private agencies. The head constable, who belongs to 1987 batch, has overcome his limited educational qualification of standard VIII with experience. Chobitkar’s magic memory can recall 105 mobile phone numbers at the drop of his hat.
Laxman Bobde (60), who was booked in a case of burglary at Ambazari police station in 1977, is the latest catch by Chobitkar and others under supervision of senior PI Sudhir Nandanwar and second PI SK Chandanshive. Bobde, now working as painter, was nabbed on Friday from Vakilpeth and expected to be handed over to Ambazari police station to complete his trial. He never came back to appear before the court after getting bail.
This is the second accused of Ambazari police station who has been nabbed by Ganeshpeth cops. On Thursday, Ganeshpeth squad comprising Chobitkar, Madhukar Shirke, Praveen Gorate and Prashant Kakde and others had netted Ashok Chavan from Valmiki Nagar in Ambazari who was wanted in a case registered around 28 years ago. Earlier, Ganeshpeth squad had nabbed Vasudev Gaikwad who had been declared absconder by court after remaining elusive for 36 years in a case registered at Imambada police station.
PI Nandanwar stated that police’s record had shown that Bobde was wanted by Imambada police but our verification from court stated that he was booked at Ambazari police station. “The accused generally try to record fake or incomplete addresses purposely to keep cops at bay. Our squad has developed peculiar methods to first trace the absconder’s present whereabouts, reach the place, wait in trap for a couple of days, keep a close vigil and then swoop down at a suitable time,” he said.
It’s also learnt that every police station has been furnished with the lists of wanted and absconders from crime branch on the order of Addl CP crime Shrikant Tarwade. “We have just developed a work culture to nab the absconders whose files in the court have been sent to cold storage as ‘dormant’,” he said.
HOW THE ACCUSED ARE TRACED
The names are searched in election lists, telecom data, gas agency registers and records in electric supply offices
Initially, records of many similar names are collected. They are matched with addresses, possible age group and their father’s name. Finally, a shorter list of similar names is sorted out
The addresses of the possible names are traced and information regarding them is collected from neighbours and family by cops posing as courier delivery men and such other disguises
Once verification is complete, the final countdown of laying a trap or waiting in a trap before the catch is picked up starts
The squad has to often work without photographs or an old one which has to be developed to match the present appearance