NRI woman alleges unlawful detention and harassment at IGI Airport by police and immigration officials

Chandigarh, January 1, 2014: The NRI Commission, Punjab today asked the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Protector of Immigrants and Bureau of Immigration to look into the allegation made by NRI Rupinder Kaur and Dr. Harmandeep Rai against  immigration and the police officials at IGI International Airport, New Delhi regarding wrongly detention and  harassment at IGI International Airport.
A spokesman of the NRI Commission today said that in her complaint through North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), which is stated to be a global organisation with chapters in several countries, Rupinder Kaur highlighted an incident of 29.09.2013 wherein she and her friend – co-passenger Dr. Harmandeep Rai, were mistreated, wrongfully detained, harassed, used derogative remarks by the immigration and the police officials at IGI International Airport, New Delhi.
In her complaint Rupinder Kaur said that she along with her friend arrived at IGI International Airport, New Delhi on 29.09.2013 where she was detained at the airport in a room and there was no woman officer of immigration and police departments. She has also alleged that she was threatened besides being asked personal and offending questions with unprofessional looks amounting to harassment and a violation of privacy of a woman. She was interrogated unprofessionally by male immigration officers without any women officer present there. The questions regarding her intimate relations with her friend and co-passenger Dr. Harmandeep Rai, were offensive, humiliating and nothing to do with her identity and charges against her. She when asked to know the charges for her detention, the officer told her that they have to check her credentials alleging similarities with some fugitives. Their look was more or less only to harass her, she alleged. When her friend - co-passenger Dr. Harmandeep Rai, after having waited for three hours, wanted to know her whereabouts, he was also physically manhandled and also detained on fabricated charges of causing hindrance in the official investigation along another false charge that during that time, Dr. Rai was drunk. She was released without any charge, but a case was registered against Dr. Rai and he was detained in the Police-station till he got bail. His medical examination revealed that he was manhandled and beaten by the officers.
The spokesman further said that the Commission has asked the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Protector of Immigrants and Bureau of Immigration to inquire the case and apprise this Commission about the action taken in this regard, as referred to above, on or before the February 7,2014.// punjab news live, punjab news online, punjab news, punjab news headlines, punjab breaking news, india news, punjab news,