Namesake spends 2 months in jail, demands relief

BHOPAL: Carrying the same name can at times costs one dear. A youth from Harda district is learning it the hard way. The poor chap was kept in prison for abduction of a girl for two months and had to fight a legal battle for four months to prove his innocence for something he had no role in.
A victim of mistaken identity, the youth was arrested because he had same name as the accused.
Irfan, a resident of Shukla colony of Harda town who was acquitted by court in January this year has now demanded from government compensation for harassment and moved district court. The incident took place in 2012-end. “Another youth, Irfan son of Babbu Khan alias Babu, resident of Naka area of the town was accused of abducting a minor girl. But he could not be arrested and was declared absconder. After some time, Irfan son of Babu Khan was arrested in place of real accused,” advocate for Irfan R K Yadav told TOI.
“He raised objections, but no one heard him. Later, when was produced before court, kin of the abducted girl said he was not the man who abducted the girl the truth came out,” Yadav said, adding, “The court acquitted him this year.” “A notice was served on government and he has moved the court for compensation. “A compensation of Rs 2.70 lakh has been demanded by him,”
Yadav said.