81-Year-Old Accused of 1977 Stabbing to Face Trial Decades Later

In a remarkable turn of events, a Mumbai man accused of stabbing his girlfriend in 1977 will finally face trial after being on the run for nearly five decades. Chandrashekhar Madhukar Kalekar, who was 23 years old at the time of the alleged attack, is now 81 years old.

Kalekar was arrested for attempted murder in 1977 but was later granted bail. However, he never appeared before the court again, leading to a warrant being issued for his arrest. Despite several attempts, the Mumbai Police were unable to locate him as the building where he lived had been redeveloped, making it difficult to track him down.

Years later, during a fresh investigation, the police discovered that Kalekar had been involved in an accident case in 2015 in Dapoli, Ratnagiri district. Acting on this lead, a team from the Colaba police station tracked him down and arrested him.

Identifying Kalekar was a major challenge for the police, as decades had passed since the alleged crime. However, they were able to recognize him using old photographs, and during interrogation, he confessed to his crime.

The Mumbai Sessions Court has now granted Kalekar bail, considering his advanced age and various health issues. The trial against him will finally begin after 48 years, marking a significant development in this long-standing case.