To meet UAE President, man flew down to Delhi from Saudi Arabia, stopped at hotel lobby

When questioned by officials of intelligence agencies, he told he came to request the UAE President to provide help for his brother, who is hospitalised in Saudi

Written by Mahender Singh Manral

New Delhi | Updated: September 11, 2023 09:48 AM IST

2 min read

g20 summit, uae president, narendra modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a bilateral meeting, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit 2023, in New Delhi, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (PTI Photo)

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In an apparent security breach during the G20 Summit on Saturday evening, a Saudi Arabian national entered the five-star hotel where UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was staying and was stopped by security personnel while trying to meet him in the lobby. When questioned, he told security personnel that his brother was in the hospital in Saudi Arabia and he came to meet the UAE Crown Prince in Delhi to seek his help, The Indian Express has learnt.

According to an official, the man was staying at a leading hotel in Aerocity. “The Saudi Arabian national checked in on Saturday. After a few hours, he asked hotel staff to provide him with a cab to travel to Delhi. They gave him a black Innova Crysta which had a sticker issued by the Delhi Police security unit. He first went to IGI Airport and then to the Taj Mahal hotel,” an official said.

The official said stickers were provided to 16 hotels across Delhi-NCR, where delegates were staying, to put on their private cabs. This was to ensure that security personnel could identify the hotels’ cars ferrying other guests as they entered and exited the premises.

“As the Innova had a sticker, it was not stopped at the gate. The man waited in the lobby for the UAE Crown Prince and was stopped,” the official said.

Security agencies sprung into action. “The man was picked up and a message was flashed on the wireless set. When he was questioned by officials of intelligence agencies, he told them he came to request the UAE President to provide help for his brother, who is hospitalised in Saudi Arabia. He claimed he was unaware of the security protocol… his flight back to the country is on Sunday,” the official said.

A senior security establishment officer said the chief of protocol of the MEA was informed about the incident. Later, after questioning, the man and the cab driver were let go from Tughlak Road police station and no legal action was taken against them.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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