Afghan man held at Bhubaneswar Airport after LOC from Kolkata; Lived illegally in Odisha since 2018

A 54-year-old Afghan national, Mohammad Yousaf, was arrested at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar after a lookout circular (LOC) issued by Kolkata airport authorities led to his interception. He was caught during routine immigration clearance on Saturday evening after arriving from Dubai on IndiGo Flight 6E-1488. Police said he was using a forged Indian passport under the name Yaha Khan, allegedly a resident of Cuttack.

The arrest was made based on a written complaint by Deputy Superintendent of Police (Immigration) Samapika Pattnaik. A detailed background check by the immigration team revealed the LOC issued from Kolkata Airport. System verification confirmed Yousaf's real identity as an Afghan national holding a genuine Afghan passport. He had entered India illegally in 2018 and had since been living in the Peyton Sahi area of Cuttack using forged identity documents.

Police said that Yousaf had fraudulently obtained an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, driving license, and a fake Indian passport using false details. He used these documents to travel across states, open bank accounts, and run a business while concealing his Afghan identity. He operated under the alias Yaha Khan, son of Moti Khan, and integrated into local society in Odisha.

During the search and seizure operation, the police recovered ₹80,000 in cash, a smartphone, two gold earrings, a motorcycle registration certificate, foreign currencies, and bank documents in the forged name. Officials confirmed that Yousaf admitted to his real identity during interrogation and confessed to fabricating the documents to aid his illegal stay.

Yousaf has been produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Further investigations are underway to identify how he procured the forged documents and whether any individuals or groups were involved in helping him. Authorities are also probing if there are broader national security implications linked to the forged identity.