Bureaucrat goes missing, probe on

According to his family, he tested positive for Covid-19 on November 20.

A 49-year-old bureaucrat working with the Delhi government’s Information and Publicity department, who had recently recovered from Covid-19, was reported missing on Friday.

The man’s family has also released his photograph and details on social media, which are being widely circulated. (HT Archive)

Nalin Chauhan, the bureaucrat, was last seen by a security guard in front of his house in north Delhi on Thursday morning. Police said that the officer had recently recovered from Covid-19 and had been living in isolation in a flat next to his house. Police said they have registered a missing complaint and are searching for the man.

Chauhan was posted as deputy director in the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Government of NCT.

According to his family, he tested positive for Covid-19 on November 20. “Due to complication with his health, he was admitted in the Covid-19 ward of Lok Nayak Hospital. Later, as his condition got critical, he was shifted to an ICU and was also given plasma treatment,” a family member, who did not wish to be named, said.

The family member said, on December 5, the government official was discharged and was living in isolation in a flat next to his house. “He used to eat home-cooked food, and we were constantly in touch with him. On December 10, between 11.30am and 12pm, he was not found in the flat. When we started making enquiries, we found that the security guard of the colony, who knew the officer well, had asked him where he was going when he left the flat on Thursday morning. He had told the guard that he would be back in a few minutes but hasn’t come home since then,” the family member said.

The man’s family has also released his photograph and details on social media, which are being widely circulated.

Police said the initial probe has revealed that the officer left the house on his own. “He left his mobile phone at home. There is no evidence of foul play so far,” a senior police officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Anto Alphonse said they have registered a missing complaint and search teams are working on the case.

HT reached out to government spokespersons, but they did not comment on the matter.