Moodbidri: A 38-year-old man who had allegedly been evading arrest and court proceedings for nearly seven years in connection with a temple theft case has been arrested in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu and produced before the Moodbidri court.
The accused has been identified as Nagarajan, 38, son of Selva Raj, a resident of Shastri Street in Tiruppur village, Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu.
The arrest was made in connection with a theft case registered at Mulki Police Station in 2018. Police traced the accused to Tamil Nadu based on the arrest warrant and proclamation issued by the court.
Case dates back to 2018
The case pertains to Mulki Police Station Crime No. 70/2018, registered under Sections 454, 457 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The case concerns an alleged theft at a daivasthana, or temple/shrine. Following the registration of the case, legal proceedings continued before the court. The matter is currently pending before the Senior Civil Judge and JMFC Court, Moodbidri, as C C No. 462/2023.
According to police, Nagarajan had failed to appear before the court for several years. His continued absence resulted in the court initiating steps to secure his presence in the case.
Court issues warrant and proclamation
Police said Nagarajan had allegedly remained away from the court proceedings for around seven years. As he did not appear before the court, an arrest warrant was issued against him.
A proclamation was also issued in connection with the case as part of the process to secure the accused’s presence.
With the warrant pending, police began efforts to trace Nagarajan. The investigation and follow-up action eventually led officers to his whereabouts in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu.
Accused traced in Tamil Nadu
Acting on the court’s warrant, police traced Nagarajan to Tiruppur district and arrested him.
The arrest required police to locate the accused outside Karnataka, where he had allegedly been residing while avoiding the court proceedings. After completing the necessary procedures, police brought him back and produced him before the Moodbidri court on Monday.
The action brought the long-pending effort to secure the accused’s presence before the court to a conclusion, at least at the arrest stage.
Remanded to judicial custody
Following his production before the Moodbidri court, the matter was heard by the court.
After hearing the case, the court remanded Nagarajan to judicial custody.
The accused will now face further proceedings in connection with the temple theft case. The original case remains pending before the Senior Civil Judge and JMFC Court, Moodbidri.
The arrest and subsequent court proceedings are part of the judicial process arising from the 2018 case. The allegations against Nagarajan will be determined through the legal proceedings, and he remains an accused unless and until found guilty by a competent court.
Police action in long-pending case
The arrest highlights police efforts to trace accused persons against whom court warrants remain pending. In this case, investigators followed the available leads to Tiruppur district and secured Nagarajan nearly seven years after he allegedly stopped appearing before the court.
With his arrest and production before the court, the accused has now been brought back into the judicial process. Further proceedings in C C No. 462/2023 will determine the course of the case concerning the alleged temple theft.