Absconding murder convict held after two years

A murder convict who had jumped parole two years ago has been arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch, a police official said.

Sujit alias Pappu Kurhade (35) was arrested Wednesday by unit 7 of the crime branch from Bhosari near Pune when he was attending a relative's wedding, the official said.

Kurhade and two others were serving life sentence after being convicted for the murder of a Republican Party of India activist at Kisan Nagar in neighbouring Thane in 2011.

He was released on parole on October 2016 for a period of month, but did not return to Kolhapur Central Prison, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Akbar Pathan.

Kurhade then moved to Bhosari and lived there under a false identity, he said.

During his stay in the area he allegedly raped a minor girl after kidnapping her and fled, following which another offence was registered against him, the official said.

After receiving a tip-off that he would be attending a wedding in Bhosari, crime branch sleuths in plainclothes kept a watch at the venue and nabbed him as he arrived, DCP Pathan said.