KATHMANDU, July 7: A man on the most wanted list of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) for his alleged involvement in multiple cases of murder was arrested on Saturday.

A team led by DSP Hari Basnet arrested Nasim Khan, 47, from New Baneshwor, Kathmandu on Saturday morning, according to CIB Spokesperson Dipak Regmi.

Khan, who faces charges in eight murder cases, had been on the run since he was pronounced guilty in a murder case last year, police said.

He could get 117 years in jail if the higher courts uphold the rulings of the lower court in pending cases.

Kapilvastu police chief SP Deep Shumsher JBR Rana said that police had been closely tracking Khan's movements for over a month.

Despite his long criminal record, Khan has managed to remain at large for over two decades thanks to political connections.

Khan once served as coordinator of the Janatantrik Mukti Morcha, an underground armed outfit active in the terai, and he reportedly joined the then CPN-UML in 2012. He also had good relations with the leaders of other parties. A few months back, he was spotted rubbing shoulders with Agriculture Minister Chakrapani Khanal and other high-profile officials despite his being in the police wanted list.

Khan is accused of taking eight lives including that of four Maoist cadres, a village secretary, a local woman and a toddler. He was also involved in looting, robbery and extortion, police said.

He was allegedly behind the murder of Prem Pariyar, a district leader of the then CPN (Maoist Center) in 2007. He is also alleged to have murdered Ram Milan Gupta in 2008. Similarly, police say he was responsible for the killing of Akaali Kohar; Gyan Bahadur Sunar, a laborer; and Rajendra Tiwari, an influential leader of the then CPN (Maoist Center) Awadh Party State Division. His latest victim was Emam Musalman, the toddler son of Fateh Mohammed, ward chair of Mayadevi Rural Municipality.

Musalman said that he was relieved to hear about Khan's arrest.

“We can now carry on with our lives with greater ease of mind,'' said Musalman .