Goof-up: Man held in Bengaluru not Bargari sacrilege accused

Faridkot, May 24

In a major goof-up, the Punjab Police today said a man who was detained at the Bengaluru airport was not Sandeep Bareta, one of the main conspirators in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege cases.

The detained person turned out to be Sandeep Mannan of Faridabad, who works as an engineer in Bengaluru.

PK Yadav, IGP, Faridkot Range, said, “As Mannan’s first name, father’s name, year of birth and looks matched with a Look Out Circular issued against Bareta in 2020, the Bengaluru airport authorities detained him.”

Mistaken identity

As Mannan’s first name, father’s name, year of birth and looks matched with a Look Out Circular issued against Sandeep Bareta in 2020, the Bengaluru airport authorities detained him. —PK Yadav, IGP, Faridkot range

A team of the Faridkot police had reached Bengaluru to take the custody of the accused, but later found it to be a case of mistaken identity.

After obtaining biometric details of Mannan, the police officials asked the Bengaluru airport authorities to release him.

On Tuesday, the Faridkot police had remained tight-lipped on Bareta’s detention, but the higher authorities allegedly acted in haste and tweeted, “Proclaimed Offender in #Bargari Sacrilege cases ‘Sandeep Bareta’ has been arrested at #Bengaluru airport in pursuance of a lookout notice issued by the Punjab Police.”