On Tuesday, the Meerut Special Task Force arrested a notorious impersonator named Najakat Ali from the western part of Uttar Pradesh, seven years after he had absconded from police custody. The accused had given money to the police constables seven years ago who helped him to flee from custody. The Meerut STF arrested the accused on Tuesday from the city Goal Market area.
According to the reports, the accused was interrogated after he was arrested on September 13. He confessed during police interrogation that he had bribed the police constables with the help of his criminal friend Sakir to flee from custody seven years ago. After that, he posed himself as Surendra Sharma and traveled to many cities including Agra, Varanasi, Unnao, Bareilly, and Delhi with his girlfriend. He settled in Delhi in the year 2020 for a few months and began running a hotel business.
Further, during these seven years, he also purchased a luxurious flat at Anubhav Apartment in Rohini, Delhi, in the name of his wife, Nasreen. While Police kept on looking for him for these many years, he confessed to having stayed as a Hindu priest in the temple of Prayagraj as well.
Police had declared Rs 50000 reward for information leading to his arrest
Brijesh Kumar Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police of STF Meerut said that on September 26, 2015, Najakat Ali alias Pappu Tantrik was brought to the Court for an appearance in the case of murder. “He escaped from police protection seven years ago. He confessed that he used to pay money to the police constables then. Whatever amount they asked for was provided to them. We had declared Rs 50000 reward for anyone who would provide us with information about him. On September 13 this yeat he had gone to the Goal Market area to meet his brother. The Police arrested him from there”, ASP Brajesh Kumar Singh added.
Singh also added that the accused had obtained his bachelor’s degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in the year 1998-99. “After his education he went on to do many businesses like that of a vegetable vendor, property dealer, etc. He also has worked for a Azad News TV channel in the past. Later from 2007 to 2012, he acted as the councilor of Mohalla Rashidnagar. That was the first time he had gone to jail”, Singh said.
Accused duped innocent people of crores of rupees
The ASP also stated that he was a thug and has deceptively looted several on the pretext of providing them spiritual advices. Reports mention that after Najakat Ali was released on bail, he posed himself as a tantrik and began looting innocent people. He also earned crores of rupees from the people on the pretext of doubling their initial investments. The incident came to light in the year 2007 when a person named Ramkumar lodged an FIR against the notorious tantrik. The complainant mentioned that the accused had looted him for Rs 50000.
Later many similar cases emerged reflecting the notorious intentions of the accused. He had looted a person in Hisar, Haryana for Rs 4 lakhs. Also in the year 2008, Sepoy Irfan had registered a complaint against Najakat Ali for obstructing some government work. In the year 2013, a case of cheating of 5 lakhs was registered against the accused in Rajasthan. In the year 2013, Najakat Ali was arrested after a complaint of murder of a person named Bilal was filed against him. Singh said that the accused met Sakir who was a rape accused inside the jail.
Najakat Ali concealed identity, traveled to many cities after he escaped from the police custody
According to the reports, Najakat Ali managed to get Sakir out on bail. On 26 September 2015, when Najakat Ali was brought to court, he bribed the police constables with the help of Sakir and fled from the spot. Sakir later took him to the house of Rajendra Prasad, a resident of Phool Bagh Colony. Sakir later also helped him flee to Agra and many other cities including Varanasi, Unnao, Bareilly, Delhi, and Hisar, where the accused survived with a concealed identity.
During the COVID times, the accused was stuck in the state of West Bengal. He with the help of his girlfriend also filed a fake FIR against the family members of Bilal whom he had murdered in the year 2013. Najakat during the interrogation further confirmed that he arrived in Delhi in 2020 and posed himself as Sanjay Sharma. He purchased a luxurious flat for his wife and also bought two expensive cars. However, the hotel business which he had started in Delhi was in the name of Surendra Sharma.
He said that he used to meet his wife every 15 days and used to call her from different contact numbers. The Police during the arrest of the accused recovered Rs 750 from him. UP STF, Meerut SOG, Surveillance team had been searching for Najakat for seven years. The Police also had declared a reward of Rs 50000 to anyone who would provide them with information about the accused. The accused has been arrested an the Police are looking toward fulfilling the legal proceedings in the case.
