CHENNAI: Nearly two decades after he jumped bail in a murder case, a 39-year-old history-sheeter was finally traced and arrested by a special team of the Greater Chennai Police, with AI-based facial age progression helping investigators identify his present-day appearance.
Sheik Abdullah of Kaladipet in Thiruvottiyur — who was among five persons arrested and remanded in connection with the murder of Pandiyamani under the Thiruvottiyur police limits in 2007 — was nabbed near Choolaimedu on September 15. He had stopped appearing before the 4th Additional Court in Ponneri after securing bail, prompting the court to issue a non-bailable warrant against him in 2010.
With his photograph from the time of his arrest in 2007 as the only available visual reference, a special team from the Serious Crime Squad (North) turned to AI-based facial age progression software. Through a person well versed in handling AI tools, who volunteered for the task, investigators generated images depicting how Abdullah could have looked nearly two decades later.
“We initially searched for Abdullah using his Aadhaar, driving licence and PAN card details and also checked records linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). However, these efforts did not yield any leads,” a police officer told TNIE. “The age-progressed images were then used to search social media platforms. Police found a Facebook profile suspected to belong to Abdullah and, after verifying the profile and tracing its URL, they began tracking his movements,” he added.
The investigation eventually led the team to Choolaimedu, where Abdullah was traced and arrested on Tuesday. He was handed over to the Thiruvottiyur police and later remanded him in judicial custody.
Police said the suspect had frequently shifted residences after jumping bail, worked at a private company and got married.
