Days after erroneous release from Faridabad jail, prisoner caught from village in Bihar

A prisoner jailed on charges of raping a minor who was released from the district jail here due to a mistaken identity was caught from his village in Patna, Bihar, police said on Sunday.

He was produced in a city court and sent into judicial custody again in Neemka jail, they said.

Nitesh Pandey was mistakenly released from Neemka jail instead of another inmate named Nitesh who received bail from a Faridabad court, leading the suspension of five jail officials.

The fathers of the Niteshs also had the same name, adding to the confusion.

A senior police officer said that during interrogation, accused Nitesh Pandey revealed that he knew that the other Nitesh was to get bail in a case in which he was being tried for trespass and assault.

After the second Nitesh got bail on Monday, the prisoners were called. The inmate who got the bail was not present at the spot on Tuesday and the rape accused identified himself as Nitesh and came out of the jail, he added.

A case was registered against Nitesh Pandey, son of Ravindra Pandey, under sections of rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in 2021 at Sector-58 police station.

He was lodged in Neemka jail after his arrest.

The other Nitesh Nitesh, son of Ravindra and a resident of Shastri Colony under Old Faridabad Police Station area, was also lodged in the jail after being arrested in a case of assault, police said.

After the goof up, the jail administration claimed that Nitesh Pandey managed to obtain his release by “hiding his identity” and an FIR was registered at Sadar Faridabad police station.

Jail Assistant Superintendent Mohanlal, Deputy Assistant Pradeep Tyagi, Havaldar Rajendra and two wardens, Sanjeev and Rajesh, were suspended for negligence over the entire incident.