Bengaluru: Two wanted criminals from Bihar, accused in more than 40 serious cases including multiple murders, have been arrested in northeastern Bengaluru by the Bihar Police Special Task Force (STF) with assistance from the city police. The accused — a father and son — were traced to the Kodigehalli police station limits where they had allegedly been hiding to evade arrest.
Police identified the duo as Manoj Singh (65) and his son Manick Singh (30). They were arrested on Tuesday near Kodigehalli and later handed over to the Bihar police on a transit warrant, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Senior officers said the operation was carried out based on specific intelligence inputs and coordinated interstate policing.
Joint operation by Bihar STF and Bengaluru police
Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said the arrest followed close coordination between the Bihar STF and local police units. A Bengaluru police team assisted in identifying the suspects’ location and securing them without incident.
“The duo had been hiding within the limits of the Kodigehalli police station. Our personnel assisted the Bihar police team in identifying and securing the suspects. They have been handed over on a transit warrant,” the commissioner said.
The operation on behalf of Bengaluru police was overseen by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) G.K. Mithun Kumar. Surveillance and ground verification were conducted before the arrest team moved in.
Officials said the arrests were executed swiftly to prevent escape or resistance.
Accused linked to murders, kidnapping and extortion
Police sources said the father-son duo is accused in over 40 serious criminal cases across multiple states. These include more than 24 murder cases, apart from several cases of kidnapping, extortion, and organised violent crime.
Investigators believe they were running a criminal gang and were involved in an organised crime syndicate operating across Bihar, Jharkhand, and neighbouring regions. Multiple police stations in those states have registered cases against them over the years.
According to sources, the two together carried a bounty of ₹3 lakh announced by law enforcement agencies in connection with pending cases.
Police records reportedly classify them as habitual offenders with a long criminal history.
Earlier arrest and disappearance after bail
Officials said the accused had previously been arrested in 2015 in connection with serious offences. However, after securing bail, they allegedly went underground and avoided court proceedings and police tracking.
After disappearing, they are believed to have shifted base multiple times. Investigators suspect they initially took shelter in parts of Jharkhand before relocating to Bengaluru in an attempt to stay off the radar.
Their movement pattern suggests deliberate evasion tactics, including use of informal networks and low-profile living arrangements.
Suspected operations from Bengaluru
Police sources said there is suspicion that the duo may have continued coordinating elements of their criminal network while staying in the city. Preliminary inputs suggest they could have been making extortion-related calls and maintaining contact with associates outside Karnataka.
“It is suspected that they were operating their criminal network from Bengaluru, including making extortion calls. We are also probing whether they were involved in any criminal activities in the city and how they managed to evade authorities while staying here,” a police source said.
Local police are now reviewing call data records, financial trails, and contacts developed during their stay in Bengaluru to check for any local links or offences.
Interstate coordination highlighted
Senior officers said the case underlines the importance of interstate intelligence sharing and coordinated operations in tracking fugitives who cross state borders to avoid arrest.
With improved data sharing, digital surveillance, and inter-state task force coordination, police agencies are increasingly able to locate long-absconding suspects even after years on the run.
The Bihar STF is expected to take the accused to the concerned jurisdiction for further interrogation and production before the appropriate court.
Further investigation into their wider criminal network and possible associates is expected to continue.