Law Closes In on Fugitives; Police Paste Court Notices at the Homes of Two Individuals Absconding for 10 Years
Kahalgaon/Bhagalpur: The Kahalgaon police have begun tightening the noose around long-term absconding criminals. In a significant move on Wednesday, acting under court orders, the police pasted legal notices (ishtihar) at the residences of two individuals who have been evading the law for nearly a decade in connection with a 2016 Excise Act case. This action has sent shockwaves through the local criminal fraternity.
Information reveals that a case was registered under the Excise Act at the Kahalgaon police station in 2016. During the investigation, the police named several individuals as suspects. Fearing arrest, two of the prime accused fled their homes immediately after the incident and have been on the run, evading the law for the last ten years.
Despite multiple raids conducted by the police to apprehend them, the accused managed to dodge capture every time. Following the repeated failures to execute arrest warrants, the local court hearing the case took a stern stand and ordered the police to initiate proceedings under Section 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) by pasting public notices of their fugitive status at their residences.
Police Warning: Surrender or Face Attachment of Assets
On Wednesday morning, a team from the Kahalgaon police station reached the ancestral homes of the accused with a full force. Accompanied by the beating of drums and public announcements (munadi) to alert the village, the police officially pasted the court notices on the main gates of the houses.
The police officials present at the scene issued a clear warning: if the two accused do not surrender before the court within the stipulated time frame, the next course of action will be the attachment and seizure of their movable and immovable properties. A large number of local villagers gathered to witness the proceedings, viewing the police action as a significant development.
The Long Arm of the Law: "Criminals Cannot Hide Forever"
The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) commented on the action, stating, "The court's order is paramount. We are currently compiling a list of all absconding criminals who have been wanted in pending cases for a long time. This old case from 2016 has now been prioritized. These notices serve as a stern message to those who believe that crime files are closed with the passage of time."
He further added that the police's technical and surveillance wings are keeping a close watch on such individuals. He advised the absconding accused to surrender themselves to the law, warning that further police action would lead to the auctioning of their assets and potential social boycott.
Ten Years of Waiting, Now Accelerated Action
Ten years is an exceptionally long time for the investigation of any criminal case. The delay in this matter had been a subject of questioning by local residents. However, the renewed activity of the Kahalgaon police has restored a sense of public confidence in the judicial process.
Villagers noted that while the accused had vanished from the area shortly after the case was registered, their lingering influence had previously deterred people from speaking openly. With the legal notices now displayed, the atmosphere of fear among the locals has significantly diminished.
Future Strategy and Message from the Police
The police administration has clarified that the disposal of all old, pending cases across all police stations in the Kahalgaon subdivision is their top priority. A special team has been constituted solely to review cases where the accused have been absconding for extended periods.
During the proceedings, the police appealed to the villagers to inform the local police station without fear if they receive any information regarding the current whereabouts of these fugitives. The identity of any informant will be kept strictly confidential.
A Strong Message
This action serves as a major lesson for all criminals who believed they had permanently escaped the reach of the law. Pasting the legal notice is not just a procedural formality; it is a mechanism to exert social pressure.
It remains to be seen whether the two accused will surrender to the court following this stern move, or if the police will be forced to initiate the asset attachment process. The action taken by the Kahalgaon police has become the talk of the district, reinforcing the principle that while justice may be delayed, it cannot be indefinitely evaded.
