Gujarat Man Deported After Attempting to Enter US with Stolen Passport
A Gujarat man, AC Patel, was deported after attempting to enter the U.S. using a stolen Pakistani passport. He confessed to paying for a fraudulent identity in Dubai. In a separate case, Karan Jayanti Tandel was arrested for obtaining an Indian passport under false pretenses while seeking Portuguese citizenship. These incidents underscore increasing scrutiny on undocumented Indian immigrants by U.S. authorities.
A man from Gujarat attempted to enter the United States using a stolen Pakistani passport but was apprehended and subsequently deported. AC Patel, who falsely identified himself as Mohammad Najir Hussain, was sent back to India after U.S. authorities recognized the fraud, as reported by The Times of India. Patel arrived at Delhi Airport on February 12, where officers noticed that the Pakistani passport in his possession was a genuine lost document belonging to Mr. Hussain, not a forgery.
Following his arrest by Delhi Police on charges relating to impersonation and passport misuse, Patel confessed to paying a trafficker in Dubai for the false identity. He had chosen not to renew his Indian passport, which expired in 2016, opting instead for illegal travel arrangements that involved human smugglers skilled at selecting passports likely to be accepted for U.S. visas. A source indicated, “Human smugglers pick passports that are strong for getting a US visa or randomly assign some UAE citizen’s passport to sneak into the US.”
In a parallel incident last month, another Gujarati individual was detained for allegedly using counterfeit credentials to secure an Indian passport before seeking Portuguese citizenship. Karan Jayanti Tandel, residing in Nani Daman, had fraudulently obtained an Indian passport under the name Ramesh Tandel, falsely utilizing a Mumbai address. This divergence in details when he applied for a Portuguese passport initiated an investigation, revealing that he had already achieved Portuguese citizenship and misled authorities to assist his aunt’s residency in Portugal.
During his interrogation, Tandel acknowledged utilizing forged identification documents, including an Aadhaar card and driver’s license. Authorities now suspect that he sought to illegally gain dual benefits from both nations, which contravenes Indian laws. He has been charged under the Passport Act and the Indian Penal Code for forgery and misrepresentation.
These incidents highlight a concerning trend, as U.S. authorities are intensifying their efforts to address the issue of undocumented Indian immigrants, especially following Donald Trump’s return to office. Over the past month, four flights returning Indian deportees, including 74 from Gujarat, have arrived in India, indicating a significant enforcement action. The most recent arrival occurred on February 23, which included 12 deported individuals.
The recent apprehension of Gujarat residents attempting to use false identities speaks to a broader issue of immigration fraud and the repercussions of illegal entry attempts into the United States. Both AC Patel and Karan Jayanti Tandel faced serious charges and illustrate the risks associated with the actions of human traffickers. Increased crackdowns by U.S. authorities indicate a tightening of enforcement related to undocumented immigrants, particularly from India. These cases serve as cautionary tales for individuals considering similar pathways to immigration, urging compliance with legal processes to avoid legal consequences.
Original Source: www.ndtv.com
