A major case of passport fraud came to light at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport after an Indian citizen was caught using a fake identity to travel abroad. The accused, identified as Jignesh Jagdishbhai Patel (30), a resident of Kalol, Gandhinagar, was deported from the United States and arrived in India via Panama and New Delhi, where his deception was uncovered by immigration officials.
Fake identity used for international travel
According to airport authorities, Patel had originally departed from Delhi Airport on February 3, 2025, via Air Canada flight AC-051 to Canada, using a passport issued under the name Wasim Khalil. However, upon his return to India as a deportee, he presented an Emergency Certificate issued in Panama and falsely claimed that his original Indian passport had been lost.
During scrutiny, immigration officers found no record of his departure under the so-called ‘lost’ passport. Upon further questioning, Patel confessed that he had impersonated Wasim Khalil and used a different passport to leave India. A system check confirmed that he had indeed traveled under false pretenses.
Legal action initiated
Following his confession, Patel was handed over to the Airport Police Station, where a case has been registered against him. Later the case was hand over the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Ahmedabad and investigation and other legal proceedings have been initiated under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Passport Act.
Documents seized by authorities
- Emergency Certificate
- Boarding pass for flight A12961 (New Delhi to Ahmedabad)
- Soft copies of Indian Passport and Fake Passport
Authorities are now probing how Patel managed to obtain and use a fraudulent passport. Investigators are also trying to determine whether he was part of a larger network involved in document forgery and illegal immigration.