NEW DELHI: A 58-year-old former Indian Army soldier, who had been absconding for over two decades after jumping parole in a murder case, has been arrested from Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh, police said on Monday.
“The accused, Anil Kumar Tiwari, a native of Sidhi, was convicted of murdering his wife in 1989. A case was registered at Delhi Cantt police station after he strangled his wife and then set her on fire, attempting to present it as a suicide.
He was arrested on May 31, 1989, and later sentenced to life imprisonment,” police said. On November 21, 2005, Tiwari was granted parole for two weeks by the Delhi High Court but failed to return, prompting a search that lasted nearly 20 years.
“Tiwari was first spotted in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and later near his native village. A police team tracked him to Sidhi, where he was arrested on Saturday,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam said.
Tiwari had joined the Indian Army as a driver in the ordnance corps in 1986 and served for 18 years across various parts of the country. However, he was dismissed from service in 2005 after his conviction.
Tiwari’s marital relationship had soured over frequent domestic quarrels. On the day of the crime, he first strangled his wife and then set her ablaze. During probe, Tiwari revealed that he was aware of being wanted and avoided using mobile phones to escape detection.
He worked as a driver in multiple cities and ensured he left no digital or financial trail. He also admitted to remarrying and has four children from his second marriage, police said.