In a shocking case of mistaken identity at Neemka Jail in Faridabad, Haryana, prison authorities accidentally released a convicted rapist instead of another inmate with a similar name. The two prisoners, both named Nitesh and sons of individuals named Ravinder, were lodged in the same jail, but only one of them was due for release.
What went wrong?
The inmate who was mistakenly released, 27-year-old Nitesh Pandey, had been arrested in October 2021 for the rape of a 9-year-old boy—a grave and serious offense. Meanwhile, the other 24-year-old Nitesh (no surname recorded) had recently been arrested on charges of trespassing and assault. He was granted bail on Monday by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Faridabad and was due to be released.
However, in a glaring administrative error, jail officials released Nitesh Pandey on Tuesday instead of the second Nitesh. Despite the differences in the nature of their crimes—and the fact that one had a surname while the other did not—officials failed to verify the identities correctly before release.
Why this mistake Is serious
Such a mix-up raises serious concerns about the protocols followed during prisoner release procedures. Normally, multiple checks including full name, case details, and identity verification are done before an inmate is freed. In this case, despite Nitesh Pandey having a surname and being convicted of a far more serious offense, the jail staff failed to distinguish between the two.
Deputy Superintendent of Neemka Jail, Vikram Singh, commented on the situation, stating, “We have lodged a complaint with the Sadar Police Station against Nitesh Pandey for misrepresenting his identity to gain release.”
Meanwhile, Umesh Kumar, SHO of Sadar Police Station, confirmed that a manhunt has been launched to apprehend Nitesh Pandey and assured that he would soon be back in custody.
Broader implications
The incident has sparked public outrage and raised questions about the efficiency and reliability of the state’s prison management system. Critics argue that if such oversights can happen in high-security cases like rape, the system may be vulnerable to further lapses.
Authorities are now under pressure to conduct an internal investigation into the matter and ensure that accountability is established. As the search for Nitesh Pandey continues, the spotlight remains firmly on Neemka Jail’s administration and the broader implications of such dangerous negligence.
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