A Nepalese citizen attempting to board a flight to Vietnam using a forged Indian passport was apprehended at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
According to Sahar Police, the incident occurred on February 22, 2025, around 10:30 PM, when a passenger approached Immigration Counter No. 18 for verification. He presented an Indian passport and a boarding pass for Vietnam-bound flight VN-973, which was scheduled to depart at 9:10 PM.
Immigration Officer Nitin Jagtap (45) became suspicious when he noticed that the passenger’s passport listed his birthplace as "Nhava, Thane" and his address in Panvel, Navi Mumbai. However, the passenger's physical features resembled those of a Northeastern Indian, prompting further scrutiny. The officer immediately referred him to Immigration Wing In-Charge Avinash Kumar Vasupalli and Duty Officer Sumit Kumar for detailed questioning.
During interrogation, the passenger admitted that he was a Nepalese citizen. A search of his mobile phone revealed images of a Nepalese citizenship certificate, confirming his real identity as Vishal Keshar Thapa.
Further investigation revealed that his parents were Nepalese nationals who had been living in India for several years. He was born in India in 1999 and had completed his education here.
In 2017, the accused allegedly obtained an Indian passport fraudulently from the Thane Passport Office by providing false information. Using this passport, he also secured an Indian CDC (Seaman’s Book) and was now traveling to Vietnam for a job in the shipping industry.
Authorities seized several documents, including his Nepalese citizenship certificate, Indian passport, boarding pass, Indian CDC, and an immigration department-issued certificate.
Following the revelation of forged documents, immigration officials, under the direction of Avinash Kumar Vasupalli, handed the accused over to Sahar Police Station. Further investigations into the case are underway.