An accused in a cheating case identified as Manider Singh who was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International airport on Sunday, escaped from police custody after his medical examination was done at the Safdurjung hospital after his arrest.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGIA, Sanjay Bhatia, confirmed the incident to The Pioneer." A case has been registered against the accused. He has not been traced yet. Necessary department action against the police personnel who had the accused in their custody will be taken," said Bhatia.
On Sunday evening, Singh (29), a resident of Hoshiarpur in Punjab, was intercepted by the Air India security at the boarding gate number A-13intending to travel to Barcelona via Milan on a counterfeit Spanish residence card.
Thereafter a case under section 420(cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property), 468( Forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471(Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the IPC was registered against him and he was arrested by the police.
As per the procedure, the accused was taken for his medical examination around 12:30 pm to Safdurjung hospital under the supervision of Assistant Sub-Inspector Subhash and under the custody of Constable Ramesh along with Head Constable Pradeep, all posted at the IGIA police station.
The police staff was briefed accordingly before their departure. They took the accused in a government Gypsy and a departure entry was lodged in this regard.
But when the police personnel along with the accused did not return back till 2 am, one of the police personnel at the police station called constable Ramesh, who said that the accused had escaped from their custody after the medical examination.
The Station House Officer (SHO) was immediately informed and a team was sent to Safdurjung hospital to search for Manider. The team searched the entire hospital premises and nearby areas but could not trace the accused.
A case under section 223(Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant) and 224( Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the IGIA police station on Sunday.