Pal said, “He was the main accused in my husband’s murder. It was ruthlessly carried out in broad daylight. He will now have to tell the truth to the police.” She said the news of Ahmed’s arrest had brought with it joy and relief. Pal represents the same constituency — Allahabad West — from where her husband was elected some four years ago.

But the Uttar Pradesh police had little to cheer about. They had done everything but arrest the man.

Last July, the UP Police, with the help of the Special Task Force, had combed the state and the country to hunt down Ahmed. They had executed court orders to attach his properties; they had frozen nine bank accounts, including the one in Lucknow; and had bulldozed nearly a dozen houses, hotels and commercial complexes — to build up pressure for his arrest.

Superintendent of Police (City) Uday Jaiswal told The Indian Express: “We are trying to take Atiq Ahmed on transit remand. He is in Tihar at present.”