For 3 years, Delhi murder convict worked in Mumbai as a food delivery agent — until his criminal past caught up to him

Tripathi was married, living with his second wife and son in the city. “They had no clue about his criminal history,” a police officer who was part of the operation said.

Police had been looking for Tripathi since 2021 when he jumped parole in the murder case; he had been sentenced to life in prison. “After this, he changed his name from Ajay to Akshay and forged his documents,” said the DCP.

This wasn’t the first time the convict had absconded. “In 2010 too, Tripathi was granted 30-day parole but he absconded for five years. He was subsequently captured from his hometown of Agra (UP) in 2015,” DCP Sain said.

In the interim, Tripathi got married in 2011. “His wife, whose family was against the wedding, was initially unaware of his criminal past,” said an officer.

The two had a son in 2013. “It was only in 2015, when the police came searching for Tripathi, that his wife came to know the truth,” he confirmed.

DCP Sain said during Covid, Tripathi got emergency parole on July 23, 2021, which was further extended by a high-powered committee of the Delhi High Court due to the pandemic. “He was supposed to surrender after 56 days on September 19, 2021, but he went on the run again,” the officer added.

During investigation, a Crime Branch team led by Inspector Rakesh Kumar reached his residence in Agra only to learn from neighbours that he had left the city three years ago. “After jumping parole for the second time, he went to his wife,” said an officer. “He wanted to live with her and their son.”

The woman, who was bringing up her son by doing odd jobs, didn’t want anything to do with Tripathi, the police officer said. “They frequently quarrelled over the matter. The woman’s family had also cut all ties with her after the marriage and refused to provide any help. Frustrated, she died by suicide one day,” the officer stated.

Tripathi then sold all his belongings before moving to Mumbai with his son. A neighbour revealed to police that he had assumed a new identity. “He forged all his documents under the name Akshay and started working as a delivery person at a reputed online food delivery company,” DCP Sain said.

An officer said in Mumbai, the accused married his current wife, a homemaker, in late 2021.

“He also enrolled his son in a boarding school the same year,” he said, adding that his new family knew nothing of his past life until he was arrested on December 29.

Police brought the accused to Delhi on Sunday to put him back in Tihar Jail.

Speaking about the operation, an officer said, “Since the accused had assumed a new identity and a new life in a crowded area in Mumbai, it was tricky to catch him. We reached Mumbai and camped out there for days. With coordinated efforts and assistance from the delivery firm and its staff, we zeroed in on the suspect before finally making the arrest.”