Afghan national held for illegally staying in Odisha by forging documents

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police with the help of immigration officials have arrested an Afghanistan national on charge of staying in India illegally since 2018 by forging documents and doing business in Cuttack city.

The man was identified as Mohammad Yousaf alias Yaha Khan, aged about 54 years, son of Mohammad Nasim Khan of Kabul in Afghanistan was arrested on Saturday, police said.

However, he forged his name and identified himself as Yaha Khan, son of Moti Khan, at Peyton Sahi, under Badambadi police station in Cuttack city, police said.

"Md Yousaf was nabbed based on the written complainant by Samapika Pattnaik, DSP, Immigration at Biju Patnaik International Airport. A case was registered and an investigation was initiated. He was arrested and forwarded to court," the Commisionerate of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, said.

It said that the accused had arrived at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar from Dubai (UAE) on June 20 and presented a forged Indian passport. During immigration clearance, on suspicion, the staff conducted detailed verification and found that a discreet LOC (lookout circular) was issued from Kolkata Airport against him.

Subsequent system verification confirmed that the person was Mohammad Yousaf, an Afghan national, who had illegally entered India in 2018 and assumed a fake Indian identity, police said.

During the investigation, it was also revealed that the accused had fraudulently procured Indian identity documents including Aadhaar, PAN card, Voter ID, driving license and passport using forged details, and had been residing in Cuttack, Odisha while concealing his true identity. He also misused the forged passport for travelling beyond the state, the police said.

The police also said that the accused has confessed to his real identity as Mohammad Yousaf @ Yaha Khan of Kabul, Afghanistan and admitted to forging and using false identity documents to reside and conduct business in India.

Based on his disclosure, multiple fake Indian documents and personal belongings were seized from his possession and house. The investigation also led to the seizure of various Indian and foreign currencies, forged identity cards, a mobile phone, two gold earrings, and Rs 30,000 in cash from his possession, police said.

A house search led to the seizure of bank documents in the name of Yaha Khan for which he could not provide satisfactory explanation, the police said.