In a shocking case of mistaken identity, an innocent woman from Bandiya village in CB Ganj was arrested and sent to jail for a crime she never committed. The woman, identified as Munni Devi, wife of Janaki Prasad, was picked up by the Parsakheda police on April 13 in place of another woman — also named Munni — against whom a non-bailable warrant was issued in a case of electricity theft.
Munni Devi was wrongly arrested by Parsakheda outpost in-charge Saurabh Yadav, despite repeatedly telling the police she had no involvement in any crime and no FIR had ever been lodged against her. She was still sent to jail, where she remained until the mistake came to light and she was released on bail.
According to officials, the electricity department had registered an FIR against Munni, wife of late Chhote Shah, for electricity theft. When the accused failed to appear, the court issued a non-bailable warrant. However, in a shocking lapse, police arrested Munni Devi, who has no connection to the case.
Despite having a different husband’s name and address, Inspector Saurabh Yadav failed to verify her identity before taking her into custody. Munni Devi’s son, Rakesh, who works at a sweet shop, ran from pillar to post to get his mother released. “My mother kept saying she was innocent. Still, the police did not listen,” said a visibly emotional Rakesh.
The error came to light after the matter reached senior officials. A report was sent to the court, following which Munni Devi was released on bail. As she returned home on Thursday, villagers gathered in large numbers, expressing outrage over the police’s negligence.
“This is nothing short of harassment. The police did not even bother to verify her identity before jailing her,” said a villager. When asked about the inspector’s response now, Munni Devi said, “He is not saying anything. He is just apologising.” Taking cognisance of the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya has ordered an inquiry into the matter. SP City Manush Pareek has been assigned to investigate the incident and submit a report to the SSP. Further action will be initiated against the outpost in-charge based on the findings of the inquiry. “This is a serious lapse and accountability will be fixed,” an official said and added, “The incident has raised critical questions about police and the need for strict verification before arresting individuals, especially in warrant-based actions.”