A Myanmar national, who was living illegally in India under a false identity, was detained at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The man was caught during immigration checks when officials became suspicious about his inability to speak or understand Hindi.
According to Sahar Police Station in Maharashtra, the individual had been residing in Delhi under the false name Boitlunga Saimon and had even obtained an Indian passport. His documents listed his birthplace as Aizawl, Mizoram.
During routine questioning before his flight to Malaysia, immigration officers noticed inconsistencies in his responses. Despite claiming to be from Mizoram, he could not recall basic details about the state and showed no understanding of Hindi, relying only on English, which heightened suspicion.
After prolonged interrogation, he revealed his true name as U Thang Soe Lyan, a 34-year-old citizen of Myanmar. He confessed to fleeing Myanmar in 2019 due to political unrest and military crackdowns following protests against the government.
He admitted to crossing into India illegally via Mizoram to escape the unrest and settled in Delhi, where he reportedly connected with a passport agent named Talib. The agent allegedly helped him obtain fake Indian documents, including an Indian passport, to facilitate international travel.
Authorities are now investigating the network responsible for his illegal stay and forged documents. The man is in police custody, and legal proceedings are underway under relevant Indian laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act.
Other Recent Immigration Cases
Earlier, Assam Police arrested four Afghan nationals in Guwahati’s Hatigaon area for residing in India without valid documentation. These individuals had been living in Assam since 2015 without proper authorization, according to a senior police official.