Puttur: The Puttur Town police have arrested a 32-year-old man who had allegedly been absconding for several years after being booked in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in 2018. The accused was apprehended in Bengaluru following a targeted operation based on specific intelligence inputs.
The arrested individual has been identified as Naman Nayak (32), a resident of Narimogeru in Puttur. According to police, he had been evading legal proceedings for an extended period after a criminal case was registered against him at the Puttur Town police station.
Accused traced in Bengaluru
Police said a special team launched efforts to trace the accused after receiving credible information about his whereabouts. Acting on the inputs, officers tracked him to Kudlu Gate in Bengaluru and successfully apprehended him.
The arrest brought to an end a prolonged search for the accused, who had reportedly failed to appear before the court despite legal proceedings being initiated against him.
Case registered in 2018
According to police records, a case was registered against Naman Nayak at the Puttur Town police station under Crime No. 53/2018.
The accused was booked under Sections 448 (house-trespass), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The case has been under judicial consideration since its registration, and authorities had been attempting to secure the accused’s presence before the court.
Standing warrant issued
Police stated that the accused repeatedly failed to appear before the court for scheduled hearings. As a result, the court had issued a standing warrant against him.
The warrant remained pending as law enforcement agencies continued efforts to locate and arrest him. His arrest in Bengaluru was carried out in execution of the court’s order.
Remanded to judicial custody
Following his arrest, Naman Nayak was produced before the court by the police.
After hearing the matter, the court remanded the accused to 15 days of judicial custody. Further legal proceedings in the case will continue in accordance with the law.
Police officials said the arrest demonstrates their continued efforts to trace and apprehend individuals who evade court proceedings and ensure that pending criminal cases are brought to their logical conclusion.