A STRETFORD man on the police ‘wanted’ list has been arrested by chance by detectives investigating a death in the Indian state of Goa.

Kidnapper Ajay Kaushal was detained by the Indian authorities after the sudden death of his friend William Scott Youdale in a hotel room in Colva, South Goa, on Sunday.

Further inquiries revealed Mr Youdale probably died from a heart attack but Kaushal, on the run in relation to the June 2003 kidnapping and torture of Burnley businessman Alec Cunningham, is still being held.

Indian police contacted Lancashire constabulary after running checks on his identification papers and it was confirmed that Kaushal was a wanted man.

The 50-year-old fled the country following a Preston Crown Court trial in January 2005, when a jury heard how he, and fellow gangsters, abducted Mr Cunningham and tortured him.

Later a £14,000 ransom was paid for Mr Cunningham’s release and he was dumped, wearing only his underpants, on an estate in Wythenshawe.

Kaushal skipped bail during his trial but he was convicted, along with five of his accomplices, and given a 15-year jail sentence in his absence.

Police chiefs in Lancashire have said they are now liaising with the Indian authorities, via the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), in a bid to secure Kaushal’s return to Lancashire.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “We are now in talks with the CPS to try and bring him back to this country.

“That will take some days and when we bring him back he will be sent directly to prison to serve his sentence.”

Goan deputy police superintendent Umesh Gaonkar, said that Kaushal was arrested after Lancashire Police had confirmed his identity.

He added: "We found Kaushal's identification documents on him, which helped us confirm his identity and corroborate it with Lancashire police.”

Kaushal was set to be remanded in custody by magistrates in Margoa, south Goa, yesterday and Indian police said they were awaiting the arrival of colleagues from Lancashire.

Six years ago victim Mr Cunningham was taken from his address in Todmorden Road, Briercliffe, and driven to Stretford, where he was held to ransom.

Jurors heard how he was violently assaulted, with boiling water poured over his legs. Stabbed and bruised, he was eventually released.

Just over a year later Mr Cunningham himself was jailed for four years for perjury after denying, during the trial, he had ever been kidnapped.

Kaushal has featured on the ‘most wanted’ section of Lancashire Police’s website since the scheme was first launched two years ago.