Gujarat: Cop's Typo Lands Autorickshaw Driver with Externment Notice Meant for Son

Ahmedabad: A 50-year-old autorickshaw driver in Ahmedabad has found himself in an unexpected legal mess — all because of a typographical error by the police.

Mohammad Ali Rajput, a resident of Bapunagar, has been receiving repeated notices for the past three months regarding a tadipar (externment) order, requiring him to leave the city. But the notices were actually meant for his 18-year-old son, Mohammed Faizal Rajput, who has been booked in separate assault and theft cases.

Speaking to reporters, Rajput said, “Since our names are almost identical, it seems the police mistakenly wrote my name instead of my son’s. Now, I’ve had to hire a lawyer to explain that I have no criminal background.”

Faizal, who was booked in an assault case last year as a minor and more recently in a theft case, is the actual subject of the police action. Rajput said he was unaware of his son's legal troubles until the notices began arriving.

The latest notice, dated July 30, summoned Rajput to appear before the Assistant Commissioner of Police on August 4. It warned that an ex-parte externment order would be passed if he failed to show up. The notice also mentioned that five similar summons had been issued since May, but no one responded.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Hirendra Chaudhary confirmed that the mix-up was likely due to a clerical error. “There appears to be a typographical mistake in the name. We’re looking into it,” he said.

Bapunagar Police Inspector S.G. Khambhla added, “It’s possible the notice was served to the father because the son wasn’t available. We’ll investigate and resolve it.”

Meanwhile, Rajput continues to battle the consequences of the error, hoping the police will officially correct the mistake before further action is taken.