Arrest of Illegal Afghans in Odisha

 Bhubaneswar, June 23, 2025:

At Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), a 54 year old Afghan national was detained for illegally residing in Odisha while posing as an Indian. After arriving from Dubai on an IndiGo flight on Saturday, the accused, who was identified as Muhammad Yousaf, was taken into custody. 

With the help of a lookout circular from Kolkata airport, immigration officials conducted a deeper investigation after finding significant discrepancies during routine document checks. Yousaf had been living in Cuttack since 2018 under the alias "Yaha Khan," conducting business and using a full set of fake identification documents.

The complaint was filed by DSP (Immigration) Samapika Patnaik, who stated that "documents such as passport, Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, and driving license were all found to be fake." Approximately Rs. 80,000 in cash, other currencies, gold jewelry, a cell phone, and additional fake documents were also found by the police. 

“His intention behind using fake documents to reside in Odisha is being verified," said Cuttack Police Commissioner S. Dev Dutta Singh. He knows some Afghan nationals who have been in the sari business for a long time. However, we are looking into every possibility.

As authorities continue to uncover the scope of Yousaf's illicit activities and network, he has been placed under judicial custody on remand and is still being questioned. They are investigating further abuse of forged identities and possible links to other Afghan nationals in the area. Odisha's continuous efforts to crack down on undocumented foreign nationals are in line with this arrest. Recently, the state pledged to identify and deport anyone found living without a valid legal status, according to Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan.

Yousaf faces severe criminal charges for document falsification, illegal residency, and potential immigration offenses under India's Foreigners Act 1946. Police have made it clear that all illegal immigrants will be dealt with harshly. The event brings to light the rising concerns about foreigners, especially Afghans, using false identities to live and work in India without permission. 

Police advise businesses and the general public to be on the lookout for suspicious activity and to report it. The extent of Yousaf's business operations, how he managed to avoid detection for so long, and whether other people were involved in the scheme are all being investigated further.