Jodhpur: A retired Navy steward, who was declared dead in an accident in Dangiyawas police station area of Jodhpur in 2004, has been found alive after almost 20 years.
During this period he was living in Delhi with a different identity. Presently, he is in the custody of Crime Branch of Delhi Police and Dangiyawas Police will soon take him on production warrant.
On Sunday, the police registered a case against him for conspiring to kill two labourers. It is alleged that he had burnt them alive in his truck for faking his death. After which, he fled from the spot.
According to Sub Inspector Manoj Kumar of Dangiyawas police station, on May 1, 2004, the police station had received information that two people were charred to death in a truck near Pithawas Fanta and a case had been registered at that time. The family members identified the deceased truck driver as ex-Navy personnel, Balesh Kumar, while the other remained unidentified.
Balesh's wife Santosh started drawing widow pension from the Navy while his brother collected insurance money for the charred truck. But, the truth was something else.
After faking his death, Balesh, a native of Haryana's Panipat, started living under the name of Aman Singh in Najafgarh area of Delhi. He made several documents, including his driving license, in the name of Aman Singh. His wife knew her husband was alive but kept living as Balesh's widow with the death benefits and pension. Although they lived separately, they used to meet from time to time.
In October 2023, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police received information that a person was living there by another name after faking his death. After this, he was arrested. During interrogation, he confessed to a murder in 1996 along with his brother. A case of theft in the Navy is also pending against him. He also narrated the 2004 incident in Dangiyawas. Recently, a team from Dangiyawas police station went to Delhi and interrogated Balesh, who is lodged in Tihar Jail.
Investigations have revealed that after retiring from Navy in 1996, Balesh entered the transport business along with his brother, Sunderlal and bought a truck, which he drove. During this time he became friends with Rajesh alias Khushiram and developed a relationship with his wife. One day, he got into an argument with Rajesh after which, he murdered him with Sunderlal's help.
Thereafter, Balesh ran away while police caught Sunderlal after some days. In order to avert getting arrested, Balesh left with two labourers from Bihar in his truck. He hatched a conspiracy of faking his death by getting the two labourers brunt in the truck. On May 1, 2004, he carried out the incident in Dangiyawas and then left the area.
Dangiyawas Police have also accused Balesh's family members of wrongful identification of the body.
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