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A stray dog sits in the desert Indira Gandhi International Airport during shutdown to control the spread of the coronavirus in New Delhi. (PTI)
When the airport authorities contacted the German embassy, they refused to take custody of him due to his criminal record in Germany. As a result, India also did not grant him a visa.
- News18.com New Delhi
- Last update: May 11, 2020, 12:10 p.m. IST
- Edited by: Ahona Sengupta
In a sensational case, a middle-aged German man, who is a wanted criminal in his home country, has been living in the transit area of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi for the past 54 days due to an unfavorable crisis.
Edgard Ziebat, 40, landed in New Delhi from Vietnam on a VietJet Air flight as a transit passenger to Istanbul on March 18, the day India canceled all flights to and from Turkey. He was heading to Hanoi. India suspended all international flights four days later, followed by the imposition of a strict blockade on March 25 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
With the suspension of international flights, several passengers were stranded at the Delhi airport, but the case of Ziebat was unique. When the airport authorities contacted the German embassy, they refused to take custody of him due to his criminal record in Germany. As a result, India also did not grant him a visa, the Hindustan Times reported.
“After a week in the transit area, with four other stranded passengers arriving in Delhi on different dates, two from Sri Lanka and one from the Maldives and the Philippines, airport authorities alerted their respective embassies. While others were facilitated by their respective embassies and were quarantined, the German embassy informed the Indian Immigration Office that Ziebat has several cases of assault and other crimes recorded against him and that he will not be taken into custody since he is in an alien land, “said an official on condition of anonymity.
The officer added that the Delhi police and the operator of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) airport were also informed of the situation.
The German embassy did not respond to calls and text messages about the development.
When informed by the Embassy of his criminal record, India did not authorize Ziegat with a visa to leave the airport, as his crimes were taken into account. But, Ziebat has also not formally applied for an Indian visa, the official said.
In India, an international passenger requires an Indian visa to exit the transit area and can normally stay there for only one day.
Therefore, Ziebat has been languishing in the terminal with his luggage since March 18.
“He has spent days reading magazines and newspapers, talking to friends and family on the phone, eating at some of the fast-food establishments that still operate in the terminal, interacting with cleaning and security personnel, walking through the transit area , and use the airport toilets and toilets, “said another HT official, adding that they have been providing him with basic items such as a recliner, mosquito net, toothpaste, food.
The man informed officials at the Delhi Airport Authority that he can manage his expenses and that he has been living alone in the transit area. “Sleep in beds, benches, on the floors, wherever you want,” said the second officer.
Meanwhile, the report quoted a DIAL spokesperson who confirmed the permanence of a foreign citizen in the transit area at the international terminal of the IGI airport. “The appropriate authorities were informed of this in due course. They are in dialogue with the foreigner, “he said.
“We were concerned about his health by May. Some of the officials were sent to meet Ziebat and found that he was well, physically and mentally. He clearly interacted and was in every way. CCTV footage was also verified, and nothing suspicious was found. Since then, some officers visit the German man regularly to interact with him just to get an idea of his well-being, “he added.
“It was discovered that he has visas from various countries. The officials in question have told him that it will only be possible to send him outside once international flights resume, “the official said, adding that he asked to go anywhere, but since there are no operational flights, he has been stranded.
“About a week ago, attempts were also made to accommodate him on a relief flight to Ankara, Turkey, but the Turkish authorities rejected the proposal, claiming that the flight was only for Turkish citizens or their permanent residents,” the official said.
In addition to the special repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission in India, only cargo flights operate in the midst of a national blockade.
Meanwhile, government sources told CNN-News18 that flight operations are also likely to resume gradually starting May 17. According to sources, the Civil Aviation Security Office and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation visited airports on Monday to oversee final preparations. commercial flights.
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