A long-standing search for two notorious fugitives has reached its conclusion as the Delhi Crime Branch successfully apprehended two brothers who had been evading justice for an entire decade. These individuals had previously been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, but they managed to abscond after obtaining bail. Following an extensive manhunt, both are now back in police custody and have been remanded to Tihar Jail. The brothers are identified as 56-year-old Firasat Ali and 51-year-old Shahnawaz Ali.
Capture After a Decade-Long Manhunt
Investigations revealed that the siblings had been shifting their bases across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand to remain undetected by authorities. The Delhi Crime Branch utilized a combination of human intelligence and advanced technical surveillance to track their movements. In a coordinated operation, Firasat Ali was taken into custody from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, while Shahnawaz Ali was captured in Godda, Jharkhand. Upon their arrest, both were processed and transferred to Tihar Jail to continue serving their sentences.
Criminal History and Contract Killing Links
The duo has a significant criminal history. In the year 2000, they collaborated with two other associates, Arshad Ali and Jahangir Khan, to commit the murder of a man named Ishtiaq using knives. A court later sentenced them to life imprisonment for this crime. They were released on bail but subsequently vanished, failing to surrender back to custody.
During his time on the run, Firasat Ali was also implicated in other serious offenses. He was wanted in connection with a high-profile contract killing case in Mumbai dating back to 2006. While Mumbai police had managed to arrest Firasat in 2018, the Bombay High Court granted him bail in 2021. Regarding the Delhi murder case, he had been on the run since 2023, while his brother Shahnawaz had been missing since 2016.
The Execution of the Police Operation
The successful operation relied on a network of informants and persistent digital tracking. Simultaneous raids in Moradabad and Godda proved decisive in closing the net on the suspects. The mission was conducted under the direct leadership of Inspector Robin Tyagi, with strategic guidance provided by ACP Sanjay Nagpal and overall supervision from DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. With their capture, the legal proceedings against the brothers continue behind the walls of Tihar Jail.
