Identity Mix-Up Leads to Errant Release of POCSO Prisoner

In a significant administrative blunder, the district jail administration inadvertently released a POCSO convict while a different inmate should have been set free on bail, authorities reported on Friday. This error, attributed to a mix-up of names, has prompted legal action against the wrongfully released prisoner for identity concealment.

The prisoner in question, 27-year-old Nitesh Pandey, was behind bars since October 2021 for repeatedly raping a nine-year-old boy. Unbeknownst to authorities, he successfully masked his identity to gain release, leading police to now conduct a search to bring him back into custody, as confirmed by Sadar police station's SHO Umesh Kumar.

The mix-up was exacerbated by the presence of another individual, also named Nitesh, who was imprisoned on recent charges of house trespass and assault. Granting bail, the judicial system intended for his release on Tuesday. However, due to identically named individuals, Nitesh Pandey, the rape accused, was mistakenly released, spurring the jail administration to file an official complaint.

(With inputs from agencies.)