New Delhi: For over 20 years, a history-sheeter from Uttar Pradesh managed to stay off the police radar by building a new life under a different name and identity.
Two decades, two identities
Naresh, 58, originally from Moradabad, had been living in neighbouring Sambhal as “Sultan”. He had grown a beard, assumed a new religious identity, wore traditional Muslim attire, including the short, rounded cap for prayers, regularly visited a mosque and even offered namaz, blending into the local community.
Police said he had rented a room near a mosque and survived on daily wage work, carefully maintaining his assumed identity.
An app, a tip-off, coordinated police efforts ended the ‘Sultan’ sham
However, every chicken comes home to roost sooner or later. Every criminal eventually faces the consequences of their actions, no matter how skilled and smart they may be.
Naresh, also known as Sultan, had to end his façade as his double life came to an end during a routine verification drive using the Yaksh app. The app is a police tool used to track history-sheeters and suspects.
According to police, photographs of the accused uploaded from different districts matched, despite the name change. This triggered a coordinated effort between local police teams. Acting on a tip-off, officers traced him to Dingarpur Road, where he was intercepted and detained.
Officials said the arrest was a “significant breakthrough”, made possible by digital tracking and coordination among police units.
Fake documents and shifting claims
Initially, the accused identified himself as Sultan, son of Jamaluddin, a resident of Sambhal. During the search, police recovered documents supporting this identity, including Aadhaar, PAN, voter IDs, and e-Shram cards. A booklet in Urdu and a letterhead in the same name were also found. However, further scrutiny revealed discrepancies. Additional documents recovered from his possession carried the name Naresh, linking him back to Moradabad.
He finally admitted his real identity under police questioning.
Evading past crimes
Police said Naresh had several cases of robbery and dacoity against him and had spent years in jail. A history sheet had been opened against him, leading to frequent police visits to his home. To evade surveillance, he left his village over two decades ago, cutting off ties with his family and starting afresh in Sambhal under a fake identity. Multiple cases across districts, including Moradabad and Amroha, are now being reviewed, the police confirmed.
Naresh has been sent to judicial custody, while investigations continue into the documents he used and the network, if any, that helped sustain his false identity for years.