Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 1 (IANS): A murder accused, Keshav Kumar Shukla, 45, has been arrested, 23 years after he jumped bail in a murder case.

Shukla was found working in a hotel in Moradabad with a different identity.

Shukla, a resident of railway Colony in Shahjahanpur, was arrested for the murder of one Bablu Pandey in 1996.

In 1997, he was granted bail by a court after which he went missing.

The court issued several summons and warrants in the past 23 years but Shukla remained elusive.

Recently, on court's orders, the police launched another manhunt.

Sub inspector Guddu Singh, who is Mandi outpost in-charge, was given the responsibility to arrest and produce Shukla before court.

A joint operation was launched by the police of Moradabad and Shahjahanpur to arrest Shukla.

SSP Shahjahanpur S. Anand said, "A murder case was registered against Shukla in 1996 and he was arrested and sent to jail. However, he came out on bail a year later. Since then the court had been issuing warrants asking him to appear before it but all the warrants remained outstanding as he was never available at the address. Now we found him living with a fake name at a hotel in Moradabad and he has been sent to jail on Saturday."