Kashmiri youth held in Odisha for ‘posing as PMO official, Army doctor’; police probe links with anti-national elements

Bhubaneswar, Dec 16: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police’s Crime Branch arrested a Kashmiri youth in the Neulpur area in Jajpur district for allegedly posing as an official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and an Army doctor, among others.

He has been held on charges of impersonation, cheating, forgery and links with anti-national elements.

The accused has been identified as Sayed Ishaan Bukhari alias Ishaan Bukhari alias Dr Ishaan Bukhari, 37, a native of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. According to the police, he was also found to be posing as a neuro-specialist doctor and a close associate of some high-ranking officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

‘On getting reliable information, the STF and local police conducted a raid at a house in the Neulpur area (under the Dharmasala police limit). During the raid, many incriminating materials including more than 100 documents were seized, besides four cell phones, which will be sent for scientific examination,’ said Crime Branch Inspector General J N Pankaj.

It is suspected that the accused was in touch with some suspicious persons in Kerala and some Pakistani nationals. Further scrutiny is being done by the STF to dig into his terror links, the inspector general said.

Numerous forged documents like a medical degree certificate issued by the Cornell University in USA, Canadian Health Services Institute, Vellore Christian Medical College, etc were seized from his possession. The STF also seized some signed blank documents, affidavits, bonds, numerous identity cards, ATM cards, blank cheques, Aadhaar cards and visiting cards, said an official.

It was also found that the accused has married at least six to seven women, including some from other communities from various parts of India, including Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha. He was also active on various websites and apps and was in relationships with many girls by posing as a doctor with international degrees, said STF sources.

‘It seems that the accused is also wanted by the Kashmir Police in relation to a case of cheating and forgery there, and one non-bailable warrant is pending against him. Further investigation is on,’ inspector general Pankaj said.

STF sources said they will seek remand of the accused for further interrogation. The police forces in Punjab, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, and national agencies like the Intelligence Bureau and NIA are also likely to question the accused.–(The Indian Express)