Mumbai's Sahar Police have arrested a Nepalese couple who were caught using fake Election Commission of India identity cards to travel from Mumbai Airport to Kathmandu. The accused have been identified as Maheshkumar Chetrakumar Silwal (53) and Rama Maheshkumar Silwal (44). Police recovered fake Election Commission IDs, Aadhaar cards, and other forged documents from their possession.
According to the police, the couple had been living illegally in India for several years. On November 17, 2024, at around 9 a.m., the accused arrived at Mumbai Airport to board a flight to Kathmandu. During immigration checks, officials suspected discrepancies in the Election Commission ID cards and boarding passes they presented.
An officer from the Sahar Police Station stated that immigration officials noticed a mismatch between the photographs on the Election Commission IDs and the physical appearance of the accused. This raised suspicion that they might be Nepalese nationals. Upon further questioning, the couple admitted they were born in Nepal and were Nepalese citizens.
The investigation revealed that Maheshkumar had come to India in 1995 and had been residing in the Bhiwandi area ever since. His wife joined him in 2002. During their stay in Bhiwandi, an individual helped them obtain fake Aadhaar cards, which were later used to procure Election Commission IDs. Police also found documents on their mobile phones proving their Nepalese nationality.
Following the confirmation of their Nepalese nationality and the use of forged documents for illegal stay in India, immigration officials alerted the Sahar Police. The couple was arrested, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including BNS sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), and 340(2). Further investigations are underway.
The police are now probing if others are involved in similar rackets of forging government documents. Officials have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to curb such frauds.