Phones tapped, eyes on kin: here's how cops caught 1993 Mumbai riots fugitive after 31 years

After being on the large for 31 years, Sayyad Nadir Shah Abbas Khan who was involved in the 1993 Mumbai riots case was apprehended.

Mumbai Police said on Tuesday that Khan was caught by a special team from Central Mumbai's Sweri area on Monday.

The 65-year-old is named as an accused in a case of attempt to murder and unlawful assembly during the riots in the city that followed the demolition of the Babri masjid in December 1992.

Though Khan was arrested by the police at that time, the 65-year-old got bail and never attended the court since then.

An official told PTI news agency that the court declared Khan as a wanted accused and issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

Police visited his residence in Sewri in central Mumbai many times but he remained untraceable.

Years later, the enforcement agencies finally got a tip-off about his whereabouts by examining the mobile phone records of his relatives.

On June 29, police got information that Khan was going to visit his residence, following which a trap was laid and he was arrested.

Khan has been re-arrested in the 1993 case and further probe was on, the official told PTI news agency.