Madhya Pradesh man's belief in law's forgetfulness dashed; held in 45-year-old wheat theft case

Khargone: An elderly man in Madhya Pradesh found out the hard way that law not only has long arms but also a very robust memory at times as he was nabbed in a wheat theft case registered more than 45 years ago.

Salim and six others had stolen wheat from fields in Balsamund Kakad area in 1980 when he was 20 years of age, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (Mandleshwar) Shweta Shukla told PTI on Sunday.

The theft was worth Rs 100, the official said, adding a quintal (100 kg) of good quality wheat at the time cost Rs 115 or Rs 1.15 per kilogram.

Salim, a resident of Balkhad village under Balakwada police station limits, fled after the theft and began leading a normal life running a grocery shop along with his son in Bag town in neighbouring Dhar district, the SDOP said.

The case remained pending in courts, with a warrant also issued against Salim, she said.

"Salim was traced to his grocery shop in Bag during a cyber cell-assisted search for another accused. He was arrested on Saturday. During questioning, he told police he believed the case had been forgotten after all these years and that he was safe from legal action," Khaltaka outpost in-charge Mithun Chauhan said.

Salim, son of one Mujahid, was presented in a court here, which remanded him in judicial custody, Chauhan added.