For years, they had vanished.
Some changed cities.
Some changed names.
Some built new lives in distant towns, believing old case files had gathered enough dust to bury the truth forever.
But in Mumbai, the hunt never stopped.
Between January 1, 2026, and March 31, 2026, the Greater Mumbai Police, under the directions of Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti and under the supervision of IPS officer Satyanarayan Choudhary, Joint Commissioner of Police, launched a focused operation to trace and arrest wanted and absconding accused persons across decades-old criminal cases.
And in just 90 days, Mumbai Police did what many thought was impossible.
They arrested 367 wanted and absconding accused persons and produced them before the concerned courts. Among them were criminals who had escaped the law for years… some for decades.
Even more striking, 18 of those arrested had been absconding for over 20 years!
This was not just a police drive. It was a loud and clear message:
‘No matter how long you run, the law can still find you.’
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Choudhary shared details about the same
THE NUMBERS THAT TELL THE STORY
The scale of the operation reveals how deep the effort went.
Out of the 367 arrests made during the drive:
- 18 accused had been absconding since 2005 or earlier — over 20 years
- 4 accused had been absconding between 15 to 20 years (2006–2010)
- 10 accused had been absconding between 10 to 15 years (2011–2016)
- 33 accused had been absconding between 5 to 10 years (2016–2020)
- 302 accused had been absconding for up to 5 years (2021–2026)
Every arrest meant reopening forgotten files, following old leads, activating informers, and travelling across states.
It was policing that went beyond paperwork. It became a mission.
THE OFFICER DRIVING THE MISSION
As Joint Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Police, IPS Satyanarayan Choudhary has been at the center of this city-wide crackdown.
Known for his sharp focus on crime and security, Choudhary has been coordinating teams, monitoring progress, and ensuring old warrants are not allowed to become dead documents.
Speaking about the operation, he says:
“A criminal cannot escape justice simply because time has passed. Every warrant remains alive until the law catches up,” he told Indian Masterminds.
He adds:
“This drive is not only about arrests; it is about restoring faith in the justice system and assuring victims that their cases are not forgotten.”
And perhaps the strongest message from the operation came in his words:
“Mumbai Police will continue taking strict action against offenders who try to evade the legal process, no matter where they hide.”
Those words now carry weight because the numbers back them.
THE 40-YEAR HUNT
One of the most remarkable arrests came from Azad Maidan Police Station.
The accused, Narayan Gurwa Pujari, aged 63, had been absconding for nearly 40 years in a serious robbery case.
The case dates back to 1986. For decades, he remained untraceable. The old address mentioned in the warrant no longer existed. The chawl where he once lived had been demolished by the BMC, cutting off a major lead.
But the police did not stop.
Following instructions from senior officers, the externment squad reopened the old file and started reconstructing clues. An incomplete address in the file pointed toward Manipal, Udupi district, Karnataka.
That one clue opened a fresh trail.
Police teams worked through three talukas: Manipal, Hebri, and Karkala, coordinating with local police and informers.
After continuous follow-up and intelligence gathering, they learned that Narayan was working at a hotel in Manipal.
With approval from senior officers, the team travelled to Karnataka, coordinated with local police, and finally detained him.
He was arrested, produced before the local court, transit remand was secured, and he was presented before the Sessions Court in Mumbai, where further dates were granted.
This operation was carried out under the guidance of:
- DCP Zone 1 Dr. Pravin Munde
- ACP Jagdish Kulkarni, Azad Maidan Division
- Senior Police Inspector Shrikant Adate
- Police Inspector Dnyaneshwar Awhad
The Team Behind the Arrest:
- PSI Ramprasad Chandwade
- Sandip Lokhande
- Kishor Kamble
- Borse
- Rahul Satalkar
A 40-year-old file had finally moved again.
TROMBAY POLICE TRACK DOWN 72-YEAR-OLD ATTEMPT-TO-MURDER ACCUSED
Another major breakthrough came from Trombay Police Station.
In a case dating back to 1981, police arrested a man who had been absconding for 45 years. The accused, Popat Govind Vaydande, aged 72, had been wanted in an attempt to murder case.
A proclamation had already been issued against him by the Sessions Court No. 39, Mumbai.
During investigation, informers revealed he had been living for the past 20 years in Tadsar village, Khanapur taluka, Sangli district.
On March 28, 2026, after obtaining permission from senior officers, a police team led by PSI Sharad Nanekar travelled to Sangli. After local inquiries and help from residents, the team tracked him to Ambegaon Stand, Kadegaon taluka, Sangli district.
He was found and taken into custody. Police informed his relative Sarika Kamble about the arrest.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of:
- Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti
- Joint CP Satyanarayan Choudhary
- Additional CP Dr. Mahesh Patil
- DCP Sameer Shaikh
- ACP Kaleem Shaikh
- Senior PI Rita Nemlekar
- PI Crime Tukaram Koyande
Team Members:
- PSI Sharad Nanekar
- Sandip Patil
- Suraj Pawar
- Shobha Kale
Another forgotten case was brought back into the courtroom.
A MESSAGE ACROSS MUMBAI AND BEYOND
This operation has done more than increase arrest numbers.
It has sent a message across Mumbai, across Maharashtra, and across India:
Police files do not expire.
Victims are not forgotten.
And the law can wait longer than criminals can hide.
Under IPS Satyanarayan Choudhary’s supervision and the larger leadership of the Mumbai Police, this 90-day operation has shown what focused policing can achieve.
From 1981 attempt-to-murder cases to 1986 robbery files, the past has come knocking again.
And this time, it arrived with handcuffs.
