Supreme Court Urges Airport Agencies to Train Officers on Legal Procedures Before Arresting International Travellers
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has emphasized the urgent need for airport authorities and jurisdictional agencies to educate and sensitise their officers on prevailing laws before detaining or arresting international travellers.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made these observations while quashing the arrest and criminal proceedings against NRI Rocky Abraham, an Indian citizen settled in Italy for over 20 years.
Abraham was detained at Delhi Airport in January 2025 for allegedly carrying a deer horn, purportedly in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. He was subsequently arrested, and an FIR was registered under Sections 39, 49, and 51 of the Act. The traveller spent nearly two weeks in custody before being released on bail under strict conditions, including a travel ban.
However, the Supreme Court noted that DNA testing revealed the item was a reindeer horn, which does not violate any Indian wildlife or forest laws.
The bench stressed that such actions should not be taken hastily and must be based on proper legal consultation and a pragmatic approach.
“There is an imminent need for the concerned agencies at international airports to sensitise their officers in the prevailing laws before taking the drastic step of detention and arrest of an international traveller,” the court observed.
The apex court further remarked that ill-advised actions by officials can tarnish India’s image internationally and amount to breaches of human rights.
Consequently, the court declared Abraham’s arrest, FIR, and all related proceedings unlawful, and quashed them entirely. It also directed that the pending writ petition before the High Court and any trial court proceedings be closed.
The bench granted Abraham the liberty to seek damages before the appropriate legal forum for the wrongful arrest.
