The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Saleem Wastik, also known as Saleem Ahmed, in connection with a 31-year-old kidnapping and murder case dating back to 1995.
Police said the accused had been absconding for more than two decades after jumping bail and was finally arrested from Loni in Ghaziabad following a tip-off.
Kidnapping and murder of minor in 1995
The case relates to the abduction and killing of 13-year-old Sandeep Bansal, who was kidnapped on his way to school in northeast Delhi in January 1995.
A ransom of Rs 30,000 was demanded from the family, along with threats. However, the child was later killed, and his body was recovered from a drain in Mustafabad during the investigation.
At the time, Saleem, then known as Saleem Khan, was working as a martial arts instructor at the boy’s school. Police said he was arrested along with his associate Anil and confessed to the crime during questioning.
In 1997, both were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a court.
Jumped bail, lived under fake identity
In 2000, Saleem was granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court but failed to return and went missing. Despite the High Court upholding his conviction in 2011, he managed to evade arrest.
Police said he changed identities multiple times and even declared himself dead to mislead authorities.
“He kept shifting between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and lived under different names to avoid being traced,” an officer said.
He eventually settled in Loni, where he was running a clothing business and had built a public profile as a YouTuber.
Arrest after identity verification
Officials said his identity was confirmed using old records, fingerprints and photographs before he was arrested.
“The accused had been on the run for over 26 years. With the help of technical and human intelligence, we were able to track and arrest him,” a Crime Branch officer said.
After his arrest, he has been sent to Tihar Jail.
Recent knife attack brought attention
The arrest comes months after Wastik survived a knife attack at his office in Loni in February 2026. According to police, two men entered his office and attacked him with knives, causing serious injuries.
The attackers fled the scene, but one of them was later killed in a police encounter.
Police said the incident brought renewed attention to his background, which eventually helped investigators reopen and trace the old case.
Police say law catches up eventually
Officials said the case shows that absconding for years does not mean escaping justice.
“No matter how long it takes, the law eventually catches up. Persistent efforts and new technology helped solve this case after decades,” a senior officer said.
