Luck runs out: Lifer who fled India lands straight into cop net
NEW DELHI: When Rajeev Kumar (37) landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport from Amsterdam on the night of October 11, he thought he was in the clear at the immigration counter. Little did he know his Bengali was not as fluent as he pretended.
He thought immigration officials were quite pally with him as he shook hands and chatted with them in Bengali. “Something was amiss,” said an official, “maybe his accent.” But which part of Bengal was he from? Kumar fumbled.
And that was a big giveaway: Sompal Soma, a life convict from Haryana’s Ambala was about to be exposed. The officials went on to check his mobile phone. All his chats were found to be in Punjabi. They rushed to alert senior officials and his passport was thoroughly checked which was found to be issued by RPO, Kolkata, possibly by furnishing false information.
Rajeev Kumar was then handed over to Delhi Police who questioned him about his whereabouts. He had to reveal so much, said a police officer. Sompal Soma was found convicted for life in a case that was registered in Chandigarh. The police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Passport Act for cheating the immigration authorities. Kumar is also charged with getting a fake passport on the basis of which he fled the country.