Raipur: The Raipur Police find themselves in a piquant situation following the arrest of a man who had alerted authorities about a bomb threat on Indigo’s Nagpur-Kolkata flight. The arrested individual, identified as Animesh Mandal, is a Deputy Investigation Officer with the Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) in Nagpur.
On November 14, while traveling on the flight, Mandal received information about a possible bomb on board and promptly informed the crew. The crew relayed the information to the pilot, leading to an emergency landing at Raipur Airport. However, upon landing, Raipur Police arrested Mandal and placed him in remand, reportedly ignoring his IB credentials, which he presented at the time.
The arrest has sparked controversy, with Mandal’s family submitting official documents verifying his IB posting in court. Senior lawyer Syed Faisal Rizvi stated that Mandal is likely to receive an acquittal and is prepared to escalate the matter to the High Court if necessary.
The situation is further complicated by jurisdictional issues. Cases involving intelligence officers fall under the purview of special courts, and no such court exists in Chhattisgarh. This could hinder the judicial process and delay resolution.
A pressing question remains: why did the Raipur Police proceed with the arrest without a thorough investigation, despite Mandal presenting his official identification? The handling of the case has raised concerns over procedural lapses and has put the local authorities under scrutiny.
