Notorious drug trafficker with Rs 35,000 bounty held by Rajasthan police

Jaipur, May 18 (PTI) A notorious drug trafficker carrying a reward of Rs 35,000 on his arrest has been nabbed by Rajasthan Police's special 'Cyclone' team, officials said on Sunday.

The accused, Sunil Dudi, has several serious criminal cases registered against him including -- drug trafficking, Arms Act violations, murder, attempt to murder and assault on police personnel -- in at least six districts of the state, Inspector General of Police (Jodhpur Range) Vikas Kumar said.

Dudi was wanted in cases registered at Pipad in Jodhpur Rural, Basni in Jodhpur City, Jawaja in Beawar and Anandpur Kalu police stations, among others, the officers said.

Despite suffering a stroke in December 2024, Dudi continued his criminal activities using a false identity and forged documents to evade arrest, Kumar said.

He was finally tracked and arrested due to sustained efforts by the Cyclone team, which closely monitored his movements, and meticulously investigated leads, including visits to a temple in Nagaur and a private hospital in Ahmedabad, the officer said.

The accused, a failed readymade garment trader, had turned to drug trafficking and was known for eliminating anyone who posed a threat to his illegal operations. He was allegedly involved in the murder of two police personnel, the IG said.

According to police, the team received inputs indicating Dudi had become physically incapacitated, with partial paralysis in his hand and leg. Investigators examined hospital records in Ahmedabad but did not find any patient registered under his name or aliases.

However, based on fresh inputs, they learned that Dudi had preponed a medical appointment under the alias "Anil Jani" and left the hospital citing a family emergency. His identity was confirmed through the matching description and a vehicle spotted at the hospital linked to one of his associates, police said.

Using toll booth records, the team tracked his movement from Ahmedabad to Jodhpur and laid a trap.

He was apprehended upon arrival in Jodhpur. He initially tried to mislead police by identifying himself as Anil Jani but later confessed to his real identity during sustained questioning, police said. PTI SDA OZ OZ