Man Accused Of Killing Wife Evades Arrest For 15 Years, Escapes Again

A man from Gujarat, who had successfully evaded arrest for 15 years after allegedly murdering his wife on Valentine's Day two decades ago, has once again managed to escape the clutches of the law. The high court had recently granted him temporary bail, but he jumped it, prompting a court in Ahmedabad to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. 

Authorities are now in a race against time to locate and apprehend the fugitive. 

A police officer familiar with the case revealed that a lookout circular would soon be issued to determine whether the accused had used a fake identity and passport to flee the country, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation.

A Tale of Deception and Second Chances

The man in question, Tarun Jinaraj, now 47 years old, stands accused of the brutal strangulation of his 26-year-old wife, Sajni Krishnan, on April 14, 2003, just three months into their marriage.

The alleged motive behind this heinous act was to pursue a relationship with a girlfriend he had known before tying the knot with Sajni.

Following the alleged murder, Jinaraj managed to successfully escape capture by assuming a new identity, leaving authorities baffled for a staggering 15 years. During this period, he not only entered into a new marriage but also established a life in Bengaluru with his second wife and their two children. 

Shockingly, he even ventured abroad on two occasions, all while evading justice. To maintain his cover, Jinaraj took the drastic step of stealing the identity of his friend and former hostel mate, Pravin Bhateley, and began living as Bhateley in Bengaluru. 

In a bizarre twist, he even worked alongside Bhateley for several months, making his charade even more convincing.

Initially, Jinaraj attempted to make it appear as if the murder was the work of burglars, throwing the police off his trail. However, when investigators turned their focus on him, he quickly absconded, having first withdrawn money from Sajni's account, leaving a trail of deception in his wake.

It was only in October 2018 that the Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) finally managed to apprehend Jinaraj and bring him back to Ahmedabad. He had been lodged in the Sabarmati jail since then, but his determination to evade justice persisted.

Jinaraj's legal battles for release began while in jail. 

He petitioned the sessions court, seeking temporary bail to address financial issues faced by his mother, alleging that she had been defrauded of ₹24 lakh. 

Despite his plea, the lower court dismissed his request for temporary release, fearing that it might enable him to evade justice once more.

Unyielding in his pursuit of freedom, Jinaraj turned to the Gujarat High Court in May. 

During the high court proceedings, the prosecution argued that Sajni's murder had been premeditated, and orchestrated by her husband. 

In contrast, Jinaraj's defence attempted to establish an alibi, claiming that he had been away meeting his brother and buying a cake and a teddy bear on Valentine's Day in 2003. 

The state government, however, presented evidence suggesting that Jinaraj had erased his identity and assumed a new one to evade capture for 15 years.

The Escape 

In a surprising turn of events, the high court granted him a two-week temporary bail on July 20, 2023, allowing him to travel to Bengaluru to access his provident funds. 

Following his release on August 4, 2023, he was subject to strict conditions, requiring him to keep local police informed about his whereabouts in Karnataka and make bi-weekly visits to the nearest police station throughout the duration of his bail.

However, Jinaraj's escape has thrown the legal system into disarray once again. A metro court in Ahmedabad has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him, and a nationwide search is now underway, driven by the urgency to bring this fugitive to justice.

The case of Tarun Jinaraj continues to captivate the nation as authorities race against time to apprehend a man who has managed to elude the grasp of justice for far too long.

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