Sadhana was taken into custody on September 27, 2024, in Haridwar after police tracked her through a decade‑long search that began when she vanished following a parole expiry on January 18, 2006.
The crime dates back to January 6, 1990, when 10‑year‑old Deepak disappeared from Azadpur; witnesses had seen Sadhana holding the child’s hand near GT Road, and she was later linked to the case by forensic evidence.
In December 2005, she was granted parole, later extended for three weeks on medical grounds, but failed to surrender, prompting a nationwide manhunt that spanned 20 years.
Senior Crime Branch officer Sub‑Inspector Amit Kumar said the team finally confirmed her identity after intercepting a tip that she was living in Haridwar under the name Pooja.
She had deliberately changed her name, married a carpenter named Keshav in a temple, and used his surname on official documents to mask her true identity while living in Noida, Mukundpur, and finally Haridwar.
The Delhi High Court has scheduled a hearing on October 15 to determine her exact sentence; she is expected to be transferred to Central Jail thereafter.
The family of the slain child, led by Deepak’s father Balwant Ram, expressed relief that the case has finally closed, though they say the long delay has left deep scars.