The CBI on Wednesday arrested an absconding accused in a 2012 rhino poaching case from Nagaland's Dimapur district.

The poaching had taken place in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district bordering Dimapur.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the CBI said they traced the accused Raidang Engti from Lhomithi village of Dimapur in Nagaland after “persistent and incessant efforts”.

The CBI had taken up the case, earlier registered with the Rongmongwe Police Station in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, “on the request of the Assam government”.

According to the complaint, a rhino was killed by unidentified poachers on July 1, 2012, and its horn was poached. The carcass of the rhino was found in Long Koi Tisso Gaon.

During the investigation, it was found that after killing the rhino, the other accused “sold” the rhino horn to Raidang Engti.

“The complicity of the said accused (Engti) had emerged as the person through whom the poached rhino horn was traded and transacted for a hefty amount. After the investigation, a chargesheet was filed on 31.03.2018 against 5 accused,” the CBI statement said.

According to the statement, the investigation was kept “open” to arrest Engti.

A police official from Dimapur told The Telegraph that Engti was arrested from the village located on the outskirts of Dimapur town on Wednesday with the help of the local police.

“Engti is 43 and has been living in Dimapur for the past 10 years. He is in the sand business. He is married but not in the best of health after injuring himself in a mishap. His residence falls under the Dimapur sub-urban police station,” the police official said.

He also said Engti was produced in a Dimapur court on Thursday for transit remand. The CBI team left with him to Diphu in Karbi Anglong district, and from there to Guwahati where he will be produced in the special CBI court.

Dimapur is about 45km from Diphu, the district headquarters of Karbi Anglong, and about 12km from the Bokajan sub-division of Karbi Anglong.

The year 2012 was one of the worst years for rhinos in the state. Around 12 rhinos were killed till October of that year.

Rhinos are usually poached for their horns, which are in great demand in the international market, especially in several Asian nations as many believe rhino horn has medicinal values and can also be used as an aphrodisiac. In Vietnam, possessing a rhino horn "adds" to one’s social status.