Vikas Dubey’s absconding aide arrested near Mumbai

MUMBAI: The Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra Police on Saturday arrested two men, including an absconding aide of slain gangster Vikas Dubey, in neighbouring Thane, an official said. Arvind alias Guddan Ramvilas Trivedi (46), a henchman of Dubey, was allegedly involved in the killing of eight policemen during a raid on the slain gangster's house in Kanpur district and in the murder of Uttar Pradesh politician Santosh Mishra in 2001, he said. Trivedi and his driver Sushilkunar alias Sonu Tiwari (30) were arrested from Kolshet area of Thane city, said Vikram

Deshmane, Superintendent of Police, ATS.

Trivedi's arrest might throw some light on activities of Dubey and his gang in Kanpur, the ATS official said. During interrogation, Trivedi claimed he is a member of Panchayat Samiti and is affiliated to a political party in his home state, he said.

Trivedi, alongwith Dubey and others, fled after the ambush at Bikaru village in which eight policemen including a deputy superintendent of police were killed on July 3, he said.

Officials of the Juhu unit of the ATS here got information that Trivedi had landed in Mumbai seeking a hide- out,

SP Deshmane said. A team led by inspector Daya Nayak, a former 'encounter specialist' of Mumbai police, nabbed the duo from Kolshet, he said. During preliminary questioning Trivedi admitted that he and Dubey were involved in the murder of Uttar Pradesh politician Santosh Mishra in 2001 and many other crimes, the SP said.

The ATS has informed Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) about the arrest, he said.

Dubey, the mastermind of the Kanpur ambush, was killed in an encounter on Friday after he tried to flee following a road accident at Barra area in Kanpur a day after his arrest.