New Delhi: Abdul Rauf Merchant, who was convicted for killing audio king Gulshan Kumar in 1997, and had absconded has been arrested in Bangladesh. Merchant had been released on furlough when he went absconding since Saturday, May 23, 2009.
Merchant, a resident of Mumbra suburb of Thane near Mumbai, was released on furlough for 14 days by the Bombay High Court last month on condition that he would report to police every day.
Merchant reported for a week but had thereafter stopped coming to Mumbra police station, Joint Commissioner of Police, Rakesh Maria said, adding efforts were on to trace him.
"We have got certain clues about his whereabouts but at this stage we cannot disclose anything", Maria said.
Furlough is leave granted to a convict every two years for a fortnight to visit his family and return to jail after expiry of the period.
Merchant had filed a petition from jail asking for release on furlough. The court had allowed his plea after advocate Farhana Shah argued his case as amicus curiae (friend of the court).
This is for the first time that Merchant was released from jail on furlough after he was given life sentence for killing Gulshan Kumar. Merchant was convicted in 2001, while 18 other accused were acquitted by the trial court as policecould not prove conspiracy charges against them.
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