A 35-year-old man, who was an accused in a rape case registered in Punjab’s Ludhiana, allegedly fled custody after he was apprehended upon his arrival from Bahrain at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport, officials aware of the matter said on Monday.
While the immigration department has alleged that the passenger, identified as Amandeep Singh, fled from the custody of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) upon his arrival in India on December 20, the latter said Singh was never handed over to them.
Deputy commissioner of police (IGI airport) Devesh Mahala said, “A first information report (FIR) was registered under Indian Penal Code section 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension).”
According to the FIR, immigration officials said Singh arrived at Delhi airport from Bahrain on December 20, and was taken into custody as a look-out circular (LOC) was found issued against him. Singh was wanted in a rape case registered under IPC section 376 at City Khanna police station in Ludhiana.
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The FIR said that the passenger was under the custody of on-duty CISF staff. It was later learnt that the passenger escaped from CISF custody around 10am when a CISF guard went to the washroom at 9.57am. He illegally exited the arrival immigration area by jumping the counter number 33 gate, it added.
CISF chief public relations officer Shrikant Kishore denied the allegation. He said, “The passenger did not flee the custody of CISF. He was never handed over to CISF.”
A CISF official, who did not want to be named, said, “According to the procedure, whenever a person is handed over to CISF to be further moved to security agencies, an official entry is made in the register present at the detainee room. The said room is an open space, but a guard is deployed outside. If immigration officials bring a person to that room without intimating CISF, it’s not the responsibility of CISF to guard that person,” the official said.
A Delhi Police officer aware of the matter said that they’ll reach out to Punjab Police to seek details of the rape case and the accused.
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
