NEW Delhi: A Sri Lankan woman who allegedly built a new Indian identity on forged papers is behind bars in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit district.As per a report in news agency PTI, Suraini Sri Vantika, alias Zainab Begum, was arrested with her husband, Mohammad Imran, one Najeeb Khan. Police allege she changed her name, obtained fake residence and domicile certificates, and used them to get an Aadhaar card and apply for an Indian passport.The case surfaced during verification of her application, after a complaint from the Bareilly passport office, the PTI report said quoting Puranpur Kotwali SHO Pawan Pandey.
Meeting in Jordan
As per the PTI report, the story began in 2018 in Jordan’s Aqaba city, where Imran was working at a garment company when he met Suraini. In March 2019, she came to India on a tourist visa and married him. On June 3, 2019, the couple solemnised the marriage in court. Afterwards, her name was changed to Zainab Begum.Trouble allegedly began Zainab’s visa expired. Police say the accused conspired to conceal her Sri Lankan nationality and arrange forged documents.
How the passport was procured
- Her name was changed to Zainab Begum after marriage.
- Fake residence and domicile certificates were obtained.
- The documents were used to procure an Aadhaar card.
- On July 26, 2021, she applied for an Indian passport on the basis of the ‘forged’ papers.
An FIR was registered on Thursday under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and the Passport Act. The three accused are being produced before a court.
A growing headache
The Pilibhit case is no isolated incident. Procuring Indian passports with forged documents has become a major concern for law enforcement, security and immigration authorities. Last month’s Mumbai episode underlined the point.On October 3 and 4, immigration officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport intercepted three foreign nationals, from Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan, for allegedly obtaining Indian passports with forged documents and false information.Sahar police said the passports were issued in Mumbai and Kolkata, allegedly with agents’ help. All three men were arrested, and police are probing the network.
How they did it
Robindra Mondal, 48, Bangladesh: Handed over to police on October 3 while trying to fly to Abu Dhabi, then Paris, he was linked to two Bangladeshi passports issued in Dhaka as Rabindra Mondol. Officials said he admitted entering India illegally and obtaining Aadhaar and PAN cards. He allegedly secured Indian passport AP-472113 from Kolkata on May 11, 2026, using false details.Deepak Giri, 40, Nepal: Questioned on October 3 over frequent Kathmandu trips and unsatisfactory answers, he was found to be a Nepalese citizen born in Ramechhap. Police said he allegedly obtained an Indian passport from Mumbai on September 16, 2021, using false or incorrect information.Taza Khan Zurmati, Afghanistan: Intercepted on October 4 while allegedly flying to Dubai as “Ibrahim Khan”, he drew suspicion over Afghan visa stickers in his Indian passport. A biometric search reportedly found two Afghan passports in his names. He entered India on a medical attendant visa in 2016, re-entered in 2017 and overstayed. He then allegedly obtained Aadhaar, PAN and voter ID cards and, with false information, secured Indian passports in Mumbai in 2018 and 2019.
