In a shocking lapse at Faridabad’s district jail, a man accused of repeatedly raping a nine-year-old boy was mistakenly released after jail staff confused him with another inmate of the same name and father’s name.
The error involved two inmates named Nitesh, both listing “Ravinder” as their father’s name. One, 27-year-old Nitesh Pandey, was arrested in October 2021 in a child rape case and had been behind bars since. The other, a 24-year-old man known simply as Nitesh, was jailed recently over a minor trespassing and assault case and granted bail just two days after his arrest.
According to police, the release mix-up occurred on Tuesday when jail officials, failing to verify identity documents thoroughly, released Pandey instead of the newly jailed Nitesh. The blunder came to light only when the actual Nitesh questioned why he was still in custody despite having secured bail.
“There were clear lapses in protocol. The two had different addresses—one from Patna, Bihar, the other from Faridabad—but verification was overlooked,” a senior officer said. Authorities believe the rape accused may have exploited the similarities to engineer his release and are investigating possible internal collusion.
An FIR has been registered against Pandey at Ballabhgarh Sadar police station for obstructing lawful custody and impersonation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Meanwhile, a manhunt is underway to track him down.
Pandey’s trial was ongoing, with earlier bail rejected in 2022. The mix-up has prompted an internal inquiry, and two jail officials responsible for inmate verification have been suspended. CCTV footage is being reviewed to assess how such a serious oversight occurred.
Faridabad police have launched multiple teams to locate the fugitive. “This wasn’t a jailbreak in the traditional sense—it was a failure of paperwork and procedure,” said an officer involved in the investigation.
