Kasaragod: An absconding spirit trader finally fell in the dragnet of excise sleuths on March 1 after evading them for 16 years.

Tekkumariya Ramachandra, aged 42 is the nabbed accused.

Ramachandra had managed to escape, when he was cornered by the excise authorities in the year 2000 while transporting spirit producing liquor illegally. However, the other occupant inside the car was nabbed on that occasion. The court had issued a search warrant against accused Ramachandra. He had managed to hoodwink the authorities by changing names and addresses over the years.

Finally luck ran out for accused as he fell into the hands of law, when excise sleuths managed to nab him on March 1 at his residence, after a definite tip off.