Ex-state AAP chief Chottepur ‘stopped’ from flying to US

Former Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Sucha Singh Chottepur was “stopped” from flying to the US as immigration officers at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport allegedly impounded his passport.

Chottepur was scheduled to travel to Los Angeles on a Qatar Airways flight on the night intervening April 28 and 29 to attend the marriage ceremony of his grand-niece.

According to Chottepur, the immigration officials impounded his passport, saying “it was misused by somebody else and a criminal case had also been registered” in this regard.

A two-time MLA, the former state AAP chief said he had a valid tourist visa.

“This seemed to be a long-drawn conspiracy. I fail to comprehend that when my papers were complete, on what basis the immigration officials stopped me and impounded my passport,” he said.

“I told them my side of the story but they refused to listen to me. I informed them that there was no case, civil or criminal, pending against me,” he said.

Chottepur said he tried to convince the immigration officials but to no avail. “They were simply adamant and it looked as if it was a pre-designed move on their part to stop me from flying to the US,” he said.