Immigration authorities at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport have detained a Nepali couple for travelling with forged Indian identity documents. The couple, who had arrived from Australia via Singapore, was found carrying Indian voter identity cards, Aadhaar cards and PAN cards, despite being Nepali nationals.
According to the FIR lodged at Sahar Police Station, the incident came to light when passenger Nain Singh Bisht presented his Nepali passport and boarding pass at the immigration counter. He had flown into Mumbai on Singapore Airlines flight SQ-424, which landed at 11:15 pm on 18 August. During questioning, Bisht failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for his visit. On further inspection, officials discovered that he also possessed Indian identification documents with a residential address in Kamothe, Panvel. He was immediately referred to the Wing Incharge for further verification.
Shortly after, his wife Parvati Devi Bisht, who had travelled on the same flight, also arrived for immigration clearance. She too was carrying Indian voter and Aadhaar cards. During interrogation, Nain Singh admitted that both he and his wife were Nepali citizens who had settled in India in 1995 and had illegally obtained Indian documents. He further revealed that the couple had even cast votes in Indian elections using these forged identities.
The Election Commission of India’s official portal confirmed that the voter ID numbers linked to the couple were active and valid. Officials concluded that both had misled Indian authorities to fraudulently acquire documents that are strictly reserved for Indian citizens.
Following the discovery, immigration authorities handed over the couple to Sahar Police along with the seized documents. Investigations have confirmed their original identities as Nepali citizens from Vijay Tole, Bhimdatta in Kanchanpur district of Nepal.
Immigration officials have recommended stringent legal action against the duo for misleading authorities, illegally obtaining Indian documents, and misusing them for international travel as well as participation in Indian elections.