He changed his name and religion to escape the law. But luck finally ran out for Ravi Janardhan Alve alias Parvez Taj Mohammad Shaikh (60), who was arrested yesterday by officers of Unit X, Crime Branch, as he was wanted by the sessions court here for the past 11 years.
Alve allegedly murdered the father of minister of state from Gujarat Purshottam Solanki in 1984, and then jumped bail in 2002. Following a tip-off, a Crime Branch team led by assistant police inspector Rauff Shaikh raided a building in Santacruz and apprehended Alve. Cops say the accused and associate Kalu Shahnawaz murdered Vadhu Solanki.
Both were apprehended by Andheri police. But Alve disappeared in 2002 and efforts by police to track him down had gone in vain till yesterday. “We received information that Alve was staying in Santacruz by changing his name to Parvez Taj Mohammad Shaikh. We also learnt that he has three kids and was working as a driver with a private company. Following this, we searched his premises and arrested him. Alve had converted to Islam and had also grown a beard to avoid suspicion,” said Shaikh.
“Alve and Solanki were part of two gangs that used to dominate Mograpada area in Andheri. Solanki had killed a member of Alve’s gang, following which the latter extracted revenge,” said Shaikh. Solanki has two sons Purshottam and Bharat; both are BJP MLAs from Gujarat.
