The Mumbai Police Crime Branch on Friday evening registered a non-cognisable offence against Anita Udaiyya and her daughter Seema Joshi for allegedly giving out false information on which the police machinery was unnecessarily set into action.

Udaiyya, who was a potential witness to the arrival of the 26/11 terrorists at Budhwar Park, went ‘missing’ for a few days before returning home on Monday. She created a flutter on Thursday by attributing her disappearance to a trip to the United States for a court appearance — a claim that was refuted by the Mumbai Police. On her return, she had initially told the police that she had gone to her brother’s home in Satara, but made a bizarre turnaround before the media.

Uddaiya was called to the Crime Branch headquarters at Crawford Market for questioning on Friday afternoon, following which the decision to register the complaint against her was taken.

“We registered a non-cognisable offence against Udaiyya at Cuffe Parade police station this evening. She has been booked under Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code for giving false information with the intent to cause a public servant to use his power. Her daughter, who registered a missing complaint for her, has also been booked,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

According to the Crime Branch, it will move an application before the Esplanade Court on Saturday seeking permission to investigate the offence.

“She has been making all sorts of bizarre statements that she cannot back up. She does not even have a passport, so how could she fly out of a Mumbai airport. From the first day itself, we have noticed that she has been changing her statements every other day. We will not jeopardise our case with such witnesses, and she has not been used for any identification parade conducted in the case till date,” said Maria.