The Indian government has said that there was no role of Indian immigration in stopping a Nepali citizen Shambhavi Adhikari, who was heading to Berlin, at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and sending her back to Kathmandu.

Adhikari reached New Delhi from Kathmandu by Air India and was transiting through the city. “She was stopped while boarding the connecting flight of Qatar Airways. It was the airlines which decided not to let her undertake her onward travel to Germany considering her visa validity and flew her back to Kathmandu,” a press release of the Indian Home Ministry stated. “This is usually undertaken in accordance with the destination country rules/requirements.”

She then rescheduled her travel dates and later travelled taking another route from Kathmandu.

“International transit passengers are not required to approach Indian Immigration for their onward journey and this is a matter between the airlines and the passenger with absolutely no role of Indian immigration authorities,” the Indian ministry said.