The accused, identified as Mohammed Noufal alias Safari Noufal, 34, a resident of Bajal Nanthoor in Mangaluru, was arrested at Mangaluru International Airport on Tuesday, September 15.

The arrest was carried out with the assistance of the airport’s immigration department when Noufal was returning to India from a foreign country.

Wanted accused apprehended at airport

According to the police, Noufal was wanted in connection with a case registered at the Bantwal town police station in 2020. A pending warrant had been issued against him after he failed to appear before the court.

Police, with assistance from immigration authorities at Mangaluru International Airport, apprehended him when he arrived in the country.

Noufal had reportedly remained abroad for around six years while the criminal proceedings relating to the case remained pending.

The airport’s immigration department played a role in identifying and facilitating the apprehension of the accused based on the pending warrant.

Case registered in 2020

The case against Noufal was registered at Bantwal town police station as Crime No. 24/2020.

The charges include offences under Sections 143, 147, 148, 504, 323, 324, 506 and 427 read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The case also includes charges under Section 2(a) of the Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act.

The sections mentioned in the case relate to allegations including unlawful assembly, rioting, use of force, intentional insult, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and damage to property.

As the matter is before the court, the allegations remain subject to the judicial process.

Produced before court

Following his arrest at the airport, Noufal was taken into custody by the Bantwal town police and subsequently produced before the court.

The court remanded him to judicial custody until September 29.

The arrest brings the police action against the wanted accused to the present stage after his prolonged absence from the judicial proceedings.

The police had been pursuing the accused in connection with the pending case, while his presence abroad had delayed his appearance before the court.

Immigration assistance aids arrest

The arrest also highlights the role of coordination between police authorities and immigration officials in tracing accused persons with pending warrants who return to India after staying abroad.

Noufal was apprehended soon after arriving at Mangaluru International Airport, following coordination between the Bantwal town police and the airport immigration department.

The accused will remain in judicial custody as directed by the court until September 29, while further proceedings in the case continue.