After 14 years on the run, the Central Unit of the Crime Branch has arrested Laxman Gangadhar Kakade (36), a truck cleaner accused of murdering his colleague in 2011 over a Rs1,000 dispute. He was nabbed from Khed in Pune district and handed over to the APMC Police for further legal action.
The victim, Ajinath Tryambak Daud, was a truck driver working with Kakade. On November 26, 2011, an argument erupted between them at APMC Market, Navi Mumbai. During the altercation, Kakade allegedly attacked Daud with a sharp weapon and fled the scene, leaving him fatally wounded.
A case was registered under IPC Section 302, and despite continued efforts, Kakade evaded capture. In 2015, the police filed a chargesheet under CRPC Section 299 due to his prolonged absence.
Recently, a directive from Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe to revisit long-pending murder cases prompted renewed investigation. Under the guidance of ACP (Crime) Ajaykumar Landge, officers used NATGRID, a central intelligence platform, to trace Kakade’s location.
A technical analysis revealed Kakade was living in Khed, having frequently changed jobs to avoid detection. A team led by Senior Inspector Sunil Shinde, along with API Sachin Kokre and others, tracked him down and arrested him.
“He had been evading arrest by constantly moving. Originally from Ahmadnagar, he managed to stay off the radar for years,” ACP Landge confirmed.
