Kottayam: In a swift operation carried out in New Delhi, the Crime Branch wing of the Kerala Police arrested a 33-year-old accused in a fake currency case registered in 2008.

Mithun Vishwambharan of Chethuvelil House in Arpookara, on the outskirts of Kottayam town, was arrested from his hideout in Mayur Vihar in East Delhi following a tip-off on Tuesday.

Mithun had been on the run for about 14 years after escaping from the police custody while being taken out in handcuff for evidence-collection at a house in Kottayam town.

Mithun was first arrested on October 24 in 2008 for keeping four counterfeit currency notes of Rs 500 denomination. He was a BCom student of Government College, Nattakom, at that time.

His accomplice Vineeth of Kumaranalloor was initially arrested by the police after he was caught while giving a counterfeit currency note at a petrol bunk in Gandhi Nagar area. Based on the information given by Vineeth, Mithun was arrested.

Mithun later confessed to the police that he also gave counterfeit currency notes to his friends from Kaduthuruthy, Neendoor and Pullarikunnu areas in and around Kottayam town.

He escaped from the clutches of police when he was taken for evidence-collection at his friend’s house at Pullarikunnu.

The Delhi operation was carried out by Crime Branch team led by Crime Branch Detective Inspector Anoop Joseph, Assistant Sub-Inspectors G D Anu, M B Ajumon and Senior Civil Police Officer S Binu. They camped in New Delhi for a week and finally arrested him.

The action followed a tip-off received by Crime Branch Superintendent of Police K M Sabu.