Overview
- The Crime Branch arrested Akhtar Hussain Ahmed on October 17 in Versova over two counterfeit BARC identity cards and claims of being a scientist.
- Mumbai Police say the recovered cards were basic copies lacking RFID features and that checks confirm he never entered the facility.
- He remains in Crime Branch custody through October 24 as investigators trace the source of the forged documents and any collaborators.
- Free Press Journal reports that investigators also seized 14 technical maps, additional forged IDs and electronic devices, which are undergoing forensic analysis to verify authenticity, with NIA and IB support cited.
- Officials note Ahmed was deported from Dubai in 2004 and previously arrested in India after claiming access to “national secrets,” a history now informing the inquiry.