Mira Road: In a major breakthrough, police have cracked a 24-year-old murder case with the arrest of the main accused from Vasai. Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar Police Crime Branch Unit 3 apprehended Haroon Ali, 43, from Vasai East in connection with the fatal stabbing of Moharram Ali, 56, a resident of Shantinagar, Arnala.

Moharram Ali Mohammad Ibrahim Ali, 56, a resident of Shantinagar, Arnala, was fatally stabbed with a sharp weapon by an unidentified person on October 14, 2001, on the Virar–Agashi Road.

During the initial investigation, it was revealed that the accused — Haroon Ali Mustakim Ali Syed, originally from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh — had fled and remained untraceable. The case remained unresolved for over two decades.

With a view to bring culprits to book, the Crime Branch launched a five-month covert operation. Officers conducted inquiries with the victim’s relatives and witnesses, employed informants, and leveraged technical tools to track the accused to Talsari.

Haroon Ali, now 43 and residing in Vasai East, was taken into custody and confessed during interrogation. He admitted to stabbing the victim after a dispute over auto-rickshaw fare escalated into a violent altercation.

“This arrest reflects the relentless efforts and investigative excellence of our team,” said Prakash Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 1, who holds additional charge of the Crime Branch. 

“Such cases may go cold, but justice never expires. We remain committed to tracking down every absconding criminal,” he asserted.