Mumbai: 

Escaped: Ken Haywood's escape to the US has put the immigration staffers at Indira Gandhi international airport in Delhi under the scanner. FILE PIC

Ken Haywood had done his homework well and had put everything in place before leaving the country. Even his lawyer did not know that he had left for the US.

His last interview to the media put the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in an awkward situation and now with his escape, the immigration staffers at Indira Gandhi international airport in Delhi are under the scanner.

Embarrassing

That's because Haywood managed to board the Jet Airways Delhi-Brussels-New York flight 9W 230 at 11 pm on Sunday even though there is a Look Out Notice issued against him by the ATS. And the matter becomes more serious as Haywood had used his original identity to get clearance at the airport.

An immigration officer on condition of anonymity said, "It seems to be a planned trip, as everything was arranged well in advance, including the confirmed flight tickets for his family and himself."

Additional Commissioner of Police (ATS) Parambir Singh has said that the Delhi police have been alerted and they will conduct an independent inquiry into the matter.

And Joint Commissioner of Police (ATS) Hemant Karkare is also upset because he could not question Haywood on the allegation levied by him about an ATS officer demanding a bribe. "We still want to know from him the reason for making such baseless allegations. And if he had failed to satisfy us, we would have seriously opted for legal action," said Karkare.

'Needs a break'

Meanwhile, Haywood's lawyer G S Hegde last spoke to him on Friday when some ATS officers had visited his house for an inquiry into the bribe allegations. At that time, Haywood was unwell and the officers agreed to question him later. "I feel my client has not run away from the country. He was under tremendous mental pressures from the ATS, his clients and the media ever since he was linked to the terror e-mail for no fault of his. I feel he needed a break and hence left for USA," said Hegde.

Social worker Vishal Moreshwar, who is known to Haywood, received a phone call from him yesterday afternoon. "Haywood told me that he would return to India in two weeks," said Moreshwar, who has now been summoned by the ATS today.