Cops arrest life convict who absconded 8 yrs ago

Chennai: Somu alias Somasundaram, 49, a life convict in the murder of AIADMK former MLA MK Balan, absconded after coming out on parole eight years ago. On Thursday, a police team tracked him down to Vyasarpadi in North Chennai and arrested him. He has since been sent back to jail.
M K Balan was murdered on Dec 30, 2001 months after he quit AIADMK and joined DMK. Investigation revealed that his body was cremated at the corporation's Erukkanchery burial ground using fabricated documents. Somu was among 16 who were sentenced to imprisonment for life in 2004. In 2017, he came out on parole and disappeared.
Police said that Balan was murdered while he was on a morning walk. They arrested a total of 18 suspects, including Somu alias Somasundaram of Ninth Street in Bakthavatchalam Colony in Vyasarpadi. Others, including AIADMK functionaries Poonga Nagar Manickam, Senthil Kumar, and Hariharan, were also charged with murder. A fast track court judge, K Asokan, sentenced 16 people to life imprisonment and acquitted two others in 2004.
Police said Somu, who was serving his term in Puzhal prison, came out on parole in 2017 and then absconded. The prison officials lodged a formal complaint to track him.
Meanwhile, two more courts issued non-bailable warrants against Somu after he failed to appear for trial in those cases. Separate cases were filed against him at MKB Nagar and Otteri police station. In order to execute the pending warrant, Pulianthope deputy commissioner of police K Muthukumar formed a special team led by the inspector Ambedkar to track and arrest Somu. The team tracked Somu to a hideout in Mullai Nagar in MKB Nagar on Thursday.
Chennai commissioner of police A Arun appreciated the team which apprehended the absconded suspect after eight years.