Murder accused arrested

Ujjain, MP, Nov 28 (UNI) Six years after he fled from custody while undergoing life imprisonment in a triple murder case, the son of a former police official was arrested from Lucknow yesterday.

In this period, Manoj Yadav murdered a 'sadhu' and a girl.

Superintendent of Police Jaideep Prasad said Manoj, son of retired Additional Superintendent of Police Badan Singh Yadav, had killed Rajendra Sharma, his brother Pradeep and sister Mamta in 1992.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment but gave police a slip while being taken for hearing on November 16, 2000.

On receiving information that Manoj was put up at Barabanki near Lucknow, a police team led by City Superintendent of Police Rajesh Mishra nabbed Manoj and his girlfriend Jaishree Pandey.

After fleeing, Manoj went to Agra where he took a house on rent and changed his name before eloping with an 18-year-old girl, Lata, to Haridwar, where he took up job as a driver using name 'Gopal Sharma' under Mahant Premanand Saraswati alias Bhole Baba.

On August 6, 2003, he killed Bhole Baba and threw his body in the river Ganga near Rishikesh and looted Rs 25,000 besides jewellery worth Rs 90,000.

Thereafter, he went to Bikaner in Rajasthan and started living with his girlfriends Jaishree Pandey and Lata. After a dispute between his two girlfriends, Manoj killed Lata and fled to Lucknow.

Bikaner Police have visited Ujjain twice in the search of accused. A reward of Rs 2,000 was also announced on his head.

Manoj is also wanted in connection with blackmailing a few girls in Bhopal besides looting Rs 70,000 from Chirag company.

Police have recovered a Rs 25 lakh 'self' cheque of the company from him.

UNI XC-PS 1534