The Karnataka Human Rights Commission has ordered a Bengaluru police officer to pay ₹2 lakh in compensation to a UK citizen of Indian origin whose flight was missed due to wrongful detention, reported the Times of India.

The matter dates back to February 19, 2019, when British national Krishna Prasad was at the Mumbai airport’s immigration centre, preparing to board his flight to London in the morning. He was detained over a lookout notice issued by the Bengaluru Police, said the ToI report.

The lookout notice was issued in connection with a 2016 case of cruelty and criminal intimidation.

However, Prasad had already secured a stay from the Karnataka High Court in 2018 in the same matter, but despite informing the immigration authorities, he was not allowed to board the flight.

On the same day, at 12:04 pm, an email from Halasuru Gate Women’s police station sought Prasad’s detention.

He was held under detention till the next evening, February 20.

Later, two police personnel from the Halasuru Gate Women’s station arrived in Mumbai.

“I showed them the high court stay order in my case. But the two police personnel from the Halasuru Gate police station verbally abused me, took a statement, and contacted my sister to book me a ticket to Bengaluru. I was asked to meet the inspector there,” Prasad had said.

On the way, the UK citizen was eventually released.

Flyer approaches rights panel 

Furious over this, Prasad took the matter to the State Human Rights Commission. 

On the basis of Prasad’s complaint, the commission launched a probe into the matter.

According to the report, inspector Shailaja of Halasuru Gate Women’s police station claimed during the investigation that she was not present at the station on the day of the incident and was unaware of the email sent to the immigration centre.

She also claimed that the lookout notice was issued during her predecessor’s tenure.

However, the commission found that the Karnataka High Court stay order had been sent to the police station and that Shailaja had instructed the two police officers to travel to Mumbai.

Following the findings, the human rights panel concluded that the detention and subsequent loss suffered by Prasad, including his ₹57,000 flight ticket, stemmed from official negligence.

The commission said ₹2 lakh should be paid to Prasad as compensation, which must be recovered from Shailaja’s salary.

It also sought disciplinary action against her.