Mangaluru: A man who had been absconding for 13 years in a case registered at the Mangaluru Women’s Police Station in 2013 has been arrested in Puttur and remanded to judicial custody. The accused, Hasan Shabir, 41, was traced to an apartment in Puttur on October 9 following efforts by the police to secure his presence before the court.

Shabir, a resident of Park Apartment near KMC Hospital in Mangaluru, was wanted in connection with a case registered under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Dowry Prohibition Act. Despite repeated warrants issued by the court over the years, he had allegedly failed to appear and had changed his address while remaining absconding.

The arrest brings a long-pending case back into focus, with the accused now in judicial custody following his production before the court.

Case pending before Mangaluru court since 2013

The case against Hasan Shabir was registered at the Mangaluru Women’s Police Station in 2013 as Crime No. 11/2013.

The charges were registered under Sections 498A and 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Section 498A of the IPC deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives towards a woman, while Section 506 concerns criminal intimidation. Section 34 addresses acts committed by several persons in furtherance of a common intention.

Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act deal with the giving or taking of dowry and the demand for dowry, respectively.

The proceedings had remained pending before the 3rd Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court in Mangaluru under CC No. 2312/2013, Split CC No. 2111/2018 and LPC No. 57/2023.

According to the police, securing the accused’s presence before the court had proved difficult over the years. The case continued to remain pending as he did not appear despite repeated efforts to bring him before the court.

Court issued warrants around 37 times

The police said the court had issued warrants against Shabir around 37 times in an effort to secure his appearance during the proceedings. However, he had allegedly failed to respond to the warrants and remained unavailable for approximately 13 years.

During this period, he reportedly changed his address and continued to evade the legal process.

Repeated non-appearance by an accused can delay judicial proceedings, particularly when the court is unable to secure the person’s presence despite issuing warrants. In this case, the prolonged absence resulted in the matter remaining pending for years.

The latest police action followed efforts to trace the accused and locate his whereabouts. Officers eventually tracked him down at an apartment in Puttur on October 9 and took him into custody.

The arrest is expected to enable further proceedings in the long-pending case, subject to the directions of the court.

Accused traced to apartment in Puttur

The police traced Shabir to an apartment in Puttur and apprehended him on October 9, 2026.

Following his arrest, a separate case was registered against him at the Mangaluru Women’s Police Station as Crime No. 45/2026 under Section 269 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The police subsequently produced him before the court with appropriate security arrangements. After considering the matter, the court ordered that he be remanded to judicial custody until October 17.

Judicial custody means the accused remains in custody under the authority of the court while legal proceedings continue. The remand order does not, by itself, determine the outcome of the original case.

The accused will now face further legal proceedings in connection with the pending matter. The allegations in the original case remain subject to adjudication by the court.

Women’s Police Station team carries out arrest

The operation was conducted under the guidance of senior police officers.

The team involved in tracing and apprehending the accused included Women’s Police Station WPSI Jyothi, PSI Suresh and police personnel Shashidhar Shettar and Shashidhar Doddamani.

Their efforts led to the identification of the accused’s location in Puttur and his subsequent arrest.

The case highlights the challenges faced by investigating agencies and courts when accused persons remain unavailable for extended periods despite repeated warrants. Locating such individuals is important to ensure that pending proceedings can move forward in accordance with the law.

With Shabir now in judicial custody, the next steps will be determined through the judicial process. The case registered in 2013 remains a matter for the court to decide based on the evidence and applicable law.