CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (INFORMATION SECTION)
CBI Arrests Absconding Accused in 1998 Criminal Misappropriation
Case After 23 Years
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested today, i.e., 21.08.2026 a Proclaimed Offender (PO) accused Roop Singh, who had been absconding for nearly 23 Years in connection with a case pertaining to the criminal misappropriation of goods worth approximately 9 Lakh.
The case originated from Case No. 178/1998 dated 04.10.1998, registered at Amalner Police Station, Maharashtra, regarding the alleged theft and misappropriation of goods, including ghee and mung, loaded in two trucks. It was alleged that on 27.09.1998, two truck drivers, Babu Khan and Aslam Khan had stolen and misappropriated the goods.
The Hon’ble High Court of Judicature of Bombay at Aurangabad, vide its order dated 25.02.2002 in Criminal Writ Petition No. 547/2000 dated 27.11.2000, directed transfer of the investigation of the instant case to the CBI. Accordingly, the case was re-registered by the CBI on 05.04.2002 as RC-4(S)/2002-CBI, SCB, Mumbai, against Babu Khan, Aslam Khan and others.
After investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet on 19.12.2003 before the Court of the JMFC, Amalner, against Roop Singh, Arjun Singh, Babu Khan and Aslam Khan for offences relating to criminal misappropriation, conspiracy and abetment. Investigation revealed that Roop Singh and Arjun Singh, in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy with the two truck drivers, had criminally misappropriated the goods which were intended to be delivered to another party.
During the course of trial, accused Roop Singh and Arjun Singh were released on bail and subsequently absconded. They were declared Proclaimed Offenders (POs) by the competent court on 11.11.2010. Accused Babu Khan and Aslam Khan had been absconding since the inception of the case.
After sustained and persistent efforts by CBI, the accused Roop Singh has been arrested on 21.08.2026, after remaining absconding for nearly 23 years. Earlier, the accused Arjun Singh was arrested on 07.11.2025, after remaining absconding for nearly 22 years.
The arrest of PO Roop Singh marks a significant development in the long-pending case and demonstrates the CBI’s continued efforts to trace and bring absconding accused to justice.
Radhika Goyal is Author of Taxconcept Gurugram head office, for deeply reported tax, gst and income tax articles on issues that matter. He splits her time between New Delhi and Bengaluru, and has worked as a reporter, a podcaster and an editor for publications across India.