Wayanad: A 76-year-old man who evaded arrest for nearly 36 years has been sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined ₹16,000 in connection with a bank burglary committed 38 years ago.

Additional District and Sessions Court Judge L Jayavanth pronounced the sentence against Abdul Samad of Thediyazhikkath House, a native of Pallimukku in Kollam, according to a police communique.

Samad was the sixth accused in the burglary at the Nalloornad Service Cooperative Bank near Mananthavady in 1988. He and five others allegedly broke into the bank and escaped with gold ornaments and cash.

The court sentenced Samad to a total of 13 years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹16,000. In default of payment, he will have to undergo an additional 10 months in prison.

Four of the accused — Subair, Suresh Babu, Alikkutti and Naseer — were arrested earlier and convicted and sentenced in 1993. Another accused, O J Babu, surrendered before the court in 2017 and was subsequently convicted.

Samad remained at large for more than three decades. Police arrested him in October 2024, nearly 36 years after the burglary. He was denied bail and remained in judicial custody during the trial.

The prosecution examined more than 40 witnesses and produced 166 documents as evidence during the trial. According to the chargesheet, 21 stolen gold ornaments recovered during the investigation were also produced before the court.

Six-member gang
The burglary took place in the early hours of January 8, 1988. According to the police, the six-member gang arrived at the Nalloornad Cooperative Bank in an Ambassador car and broke open the bank's lock.

The gang allegedly broke open a safe and stole around 1 kg of gold ornaments and ₹5,544 in cash. The burglars also attacked two persons with an iron rod during the incident.

Mananthavady Circle Inspector Viswanatha Kurup initially investigated the case. The investigation was later taken over by Special Branch CID Detective Inspector K G James. Circle Inspector Vijay Shankar subsequently completed the investigation and filed the chargesheet before the court.
Public Prosecutor E R Santhosh appeared for the prosecution.