India, Oct. 6 -- The Kanpur Police has arrested a convict, who had been absconding for nearly 40 years, from a forested area in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, an officer said. The man, now 70-year-old, had been living as a self-styled godman "Baba Pagal Das," at a small ashram and had built considerable influence in surrounding villages.

The man, identified as Ram Prakash, was convicted in a robbery and attempt-to-murder case and sentenced to 10 years in prison by a sessions court in 1986. He later received bail from the high court, but never returned for further proceedings.

Prakash was identified recently through a video on social media, where he was allegedly posing as the "godman" among his followers, the officer said.

The case goes bac...