Kashmiri Fraudster with Suspected Terror Links Arrested in Odisha: 7-Day Custody Sought

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Crime Branch is set to request a 7-day custody of a 37-year-old Kashmiri fraudster with suspected terror connections, as confirmed by STF SP Kishore Kumar Panigrahi on Sunday.

Sayed Ishaan Bukhari, apprehended by the STF in Jajpur district, impersonated an Army doctor and a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The arrest followed a raid on his rented accommodation in Neulpur on Friday, where he was found to be posing as an associate of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officers.

Bukhari, currently held in Ragadi sub-jail, disclosed that he faced charges of cheating and forgery in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017, prompting his evasion to Odisha. Punjab Police have also registered a case against his father under the NDPS Act.

The STF is collaborating with Intelligence Bureau (IB) and authorities in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Upon obtaining custody, officials from these regions may visit to interrogate him regarding potential terror links, which are yet to be confirmed.

Bukhari revealed that Pakistan numbers were stored in his mobile phone, prompting authorities to seek Call Detail Record (CDR) analysis from service providers. Investigation into his financial transactions is also underway.

Certificates claiming medical degrees from Cornell University, Canadian Health Services Institute, and Christian Medical College in Vellore were recovered and are being verified.

The accused, originally from Handwara in J&K’s Kupwara district, had been living in Jajpur since 2018. He married multiple women across different states, fathering 4-5 children while identifying himself as a neurosurgeon.

His suspicious activities had attracted the attention of the Crime Branch, leading to the raid that uncovered over 100 forged documents, including blank signed papers, affidavits, bonds, identity and ATM cards, blank cheques, Aadhaar cards, and visiting cards.

Inspector General of STF JN Pankaj stated that a detailed investigation is ongoing to determine Bukhari’s possible links with Pakistan’s ISI or involvement in terrorist activities.